


No Endings Without Beginnings

by dbzkink



Series: Love and Nameks [3]
Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Alternate narrative, Anal, Anal Fingering, Anal Play, Anal Sex, Bottom Piccolo (Dragon Ball), Bottom Vegeta (Dragon Ball), Double Penetration, F/M, First Love, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Gay, Gay Male Character, Gay Sex, Group Sex, Intersex, Intersex Piccolo, Lemon, Love Triangles, M/M, Male Homosexuality, Multi, Oral Sex, Orgy, Pegging, Rape is not sexy, Rape/Non-con Elements, Rough Sex, Sex, Shameless Smut, Smut, Top Piccolo (Dragon Ball), Top Vegeta (Dragon Ball), Vaginal Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-15
Updated: 2020-08-23
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:34:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 13
Words: 83,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24099700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dbzkink/pseuds/dbzkink
Summary: Vegeta and Piccolo are mated and Piccolo just gave birth to twin eggs, when Vegeta's first love from before he came to Earth, Talon, a Namek he met on the Frieza Force arrives on Earth. Vegeta has to figure out how to deal with the clash of his first love and his current mate, with Bulma still in love with Vegeta, making things even more interesting. He and Piccolo learn there is more magic to Saiyan mating marks than they thought, and they rush to get their lives in order before their eggs hatch.*Sequel to The Namek (which is a sequel (but written first, ha!) to The Captain and the Soldier)*
Relationships: Bulma Briefs/Original Male Character(s), Bulma Briefs/Piccolo, Bulma Briefs/Vegeta, Piccolo/Vegeta (Dragon Ball), Piccolo/Vegeta/Bulma Briefs
Series: Love and Nameks [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1717183
Comments: 85
Kudos: 45





	1. Things That Were Buried

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos are always welcome! Thank you for reading!
> 
> Graphic all kinds of sex ahead. I put a non-con warning on this, but I want to clarify that it is NOT a sexy, rape-fantasy type scene, it's a sucky, rape-is-the-worst scene. I do NOT do rape kink. You will not find that here. I will also put a before the chapter note so you can skip the whole rape scene if you want.
> 
> There is a variety of configurations of group sex ahead, but none of the group sex is rapey or dubcon or noncon. All consensual.
> 
> There is also my headcanon for the anatomy of intersex Nameks that is fleshed out in the first two parts of this series, but in case you skipped and find yourself here: Nameks have a cock and balls, but right behind their balls, sort of hidden, is a slit that opens into a theadur. This is where they mate with males and lay eggs. It has a velvety interior and doesn't require lubrication.
> 
> If you didn't read the first two, I'll give very brief summaries:  
> The Captain and the Soldier: Vegeta's life pre-Earth, he falls in love with a Namek soldier named Talon, they have a secret love affair because of Frieza Force bullshit. When discovered, Vegeta ends it out of fear for Talon and himself. Then he scoots off to Earth so he can hopefully overthrow Frieza, then...
> 
> The Namek: Vegeta lands on Earth shocked to find a Namek...a sexy Namek! In mourning from leaving Talon, after being brought back to life on Earth, he and Piccolo eventually fall in love and with a lot of crazy shit in between, end up mating. After mating, Piccolo tells Vegeta that a Namek contacted him telepathically and when he discovered Piccolo was on Earth, asked if he knew Vegeta. Piccolo (or Kami, rather, read the story if you want the deets) tells the mystery Namek that Vegeta is on Earth, and at that point, unmated. The Namek turns out to be Talon, who shows up while Piccolo is in labor, then...
> 
> No Endings Without Beginnings! Thanks for reading!

Paranoia and wariness had never come naturally to his first love, so Vegeta was not at all surprised when he got nearly to the chair next to Talon before he noticed Vegeta. Talon’s eyes came absently up from his book when Vegeta’s shadow fell on him. They went wide and glassy. Talon’s hand flew to cover his mouth as he gasped, “Holy fucking gods, you are alive. It’s really you.”

“Hello, Talon,” Vegeta said, his own eyes burning treacherously, his tail scar aching. A wildfire of memories and emotions and dreams ripped through his body, his mind, and he wanted to sit down, but he couldn’t. He needed to end this. He needed Talon to go. Now. He needed Talon not to be here. Never to have been here. He wanted to bury everything just the sight of Talon had just blasted to the surface of his mind.

Talon stood slowly, his body still exquisitely graceful and lithe, and he set his book facedown on the table. His hands shook. “I didn’t…I didn’t really believe the grumpy Namek I spoke with…I can’t believe you’ve been alive this whole time.” Talon’s eyes searched his, and he saw Talon trying to restrain tears.

Vegeta wanted to hug him, sit with him, ask him so many questions, but instead, he said, making his voice as neutral as he could, “Talon…what…what are you doing here?”

Talon’s cheeks flushed and he stepped toward Vegeta, trying to close the distance between them. Vegeta loathed himself for the hurt he had already caused Talon, hated that he was going to cause him so much more. Vegeta stepped back, keeping a respectful distance between them. 

Talon’s features, narrower and more feminine than Piccolo’s, scrunched into a frown when Vegeta backed away. His nose was daintier, and Vegeta had forgotten how it felt to be next to him, so slender and short, in comparison to Piccolo at least. Vegeta had bulked up considerably in their years apart, so he was much broader than Talon now: he always had been, but seeing Talon made Vegeta realize the change in his own body over the past six years. Talon couldn’t keep his eyes off Vegeta’s body and his breathing sped up. Vegeta’s pulse raced.

Vegeta continued as Talon said nothing, only stared, “Talon, I don’t know why you’ve come, but you should go. It was a mistake for you to come here.”

“Vegeta, look, I know…I know I broke things off, but I—“

Vegeta held up his hand. “Talon, I deliberately drove you to that because I was a coward. I’m sorry I wasn’t strong enough to just break it off myself.”

“I know, but now that Frieza’s dead, it doesn’t matter! You can be with whoever you want! The whole army is falling apart. Everyone is just taking their pod and seeking their own paths. We’re free!” He tried again to get closer to Vegeta, this time tentatively extending an arm, as if to grab Vegeta’s hand.

Vegeta closed his eyes and breathed out loudly through his nose. Talon knew Saiyan mating ritual, as Vegeta had explained it after he saw Raditz and Nappa’s marks. Talon wanted to mate, but Vegeta had said he couldn’t while he was a slave. Not that he didn’t want to mate with Talon. Just that he wouldn’t. Because when he was with Talon, he _had_ wanted to mate with him. So badly.

Vegeta’s heart broke more as he sighed and said, “Talon, _I’m_ not free,” as he lifted his shirt on the right side while pulling his jeans down enough that Piccolo’s mark showed, the scar still livid.

Talon’s mouth fell open and his eyes widened. A tear slipped free, but he brushed it away, trying to hide it as though his eye itched. He stared at the mark for what felt like forever to Vegeta, so he let go of his jeans, dropped the hem of his shirt. Talon closed the distance between them and hiked up Vegeta’s shirt, touched the mark. His touch still felt like sparks on Vegeta’s skin. Vegeta didn’t want to know that, didn’t want to remember what Talon’s touch had done to him. Vegeta gently pushed his hand away and stepped back.

Talon stammered, “You…you mated…mated _here_? With an Earthling?” His eyebrows came together in a peak and he said, “Not Bulma surely?”

Vegeta’s face split in a rueful smirk. “Well, no, though she did bear my son, so in a sense I mated with her. But not in the Saiyan sense.”

“What the fuck, Vegeta!? I thought…I thought you didn’t want to mate!” Another of Talon’s tears tried to escape.

“I didn’t want to mate when I was still Frieza’s slave. Besides _that_ —“ he paused and gestured toward Bulma and Trunks, who had come out on the lawn below, “was an accident. _This_ ,” he touched his scar, “was not.”

“So you’re pair-bonded with an Earthling that you didn’t mate with?” Talon gripped his head in his clawed hands, tugging on his antennae.

“No. Look, Talon, what do the details matter? I’m sorry you came here, came all this way. It’s been nearly six years! What were you thinking?”

“I was thinking that I still fucking love you, Vegeta! I’ve been trying to find you for years! Everyone thought you’d died fighting Frieza on Namek, but I knew you didn’t. I had a day where I thought you did, where I felt it in my heart, but then…then I didn’t. I knew you didn’t die.”

“I did.”

“You obviously didn’t.” Talon touched Vegeta again, as if to make sure he wasn’t an apparition.

Vegeta reluctantly removed his hand again. “I did. The foolish Earthlings who were allied with the Saiyan who defeated Frieza unintentionally brought me back to life with the Dragon Balls.”

“Is that why Frieza was on Namek? I can’t think of a more worthless planet for him to concern himself with,” Talon said with a little shake of his head.

“Yes. He hoped to wish for immortality. As did I. But neither of us anticipated a Saiyan far stronger than me,” Vegeta said, trying not to sneer at the memory of his shameful defeat.

“That is mind-blowing. Especially given how powerful you are now. But he’s here, on this planet. I sense him, like a volcano about to go off.”

Vegeta chuckled. “No, that’s his half-breed son. He’s dead now, so you won’t feel him, but he’s like the sun.”

“There is another very powerful chi besides that, right here, but it’s not well. It’s sick or injured. Then there’s a smaller one that feels like you—that must be your son?”

“Yes.”

“Who is the other?”

Vegeta gestured again to his mark. Talon’s face fell. “Fuck! They’re so powerful. Who is it? _What_ is it? It’s no Earthling. You live with the Earth woman you impregnated, but didn’t pair-bond with, and also an extremely powerful being that you _did_ pair-bond with?”

“Basically. Talon, I’m sorry for everything, I truly am, but you need to go.”

Talon seized Vegeta’s arm. “Vegeta, I crossed the universe to find you. I love you, don’t you get that? I won’t let you scare me off again.”

Vegeta tore his arm away and showed his mark again. Now Vegeta had tears in his eyes as he hissed, “Nothing undoes this, and I don’t want to undo it. I love my husband. I’m happy here. Go and make a life for yourself. I can direct you to the planet the majority of the Nameks resettled on, if you wish.”

“I don’t care about fucking _Nameks_! That’s why I left Namek in the first place and wound up on the Frieza Force. I came here for you, Vegeta. The only reason I spoke to Nameks at all is because telepathy is useful when you’re trying to find one man in the entire universe. I thought they would know if you were dead or not. Where you might be.”

Vegeta was so frustrated he wanted to scream, so sad he wanted to die, and so terrified of Piccolo waking that he considered knocking out Talon and throwing him in his pod. 

Talon continued, “I spoke with a Namek here, I have no idea why there would be a Namek on Earth, but he said he knew you, that you didn’t have a mate. You pair-bonded with someone in less than a year? What the fuck, Vegeta?! We were together that long!”

“Talon, this is all immaterial—“

“Not to me! I love you!”

Piccolo’s deep voice rumbled from the doorway onto the patio, “Go back to wherever you fucking came from before I murder you.”

Vegeta spun and shouted, “You’re supposed to be resting. What are you doing up?”

Talon’s eyes lit on Piccolo’s scar, visible since Piccolo wore no shirt. Talon stammered before Piccolo could answer, “You…you…you pair-bonded with a Namek? Wait! I know that voice—you’re the fucking Namek that told me Vegeta had no mate! Did you want me to come here so you could gloat? Or to torment me?” Tears teetered on the edge of Talon’s angry glare.

Piccolo strutted across the balcony toward Talon. Vegeta nearly groaned watching Piccolo’s narrow, muscular hips in the dark jeans he wore, slung low, showing his mark clearly, but they also showed off his physique to great advantage. Talon seemed awed by his height and breadth, his power, even diminished as it was by his arduous egg-laying.

It was Vegeta’s worst nightmare, having Talon and Piccolo here, together, sizing each other up. Vegeta took Piccolo’s arm as he got near the smaller Namek. Vegeta murmured, “It’s okay, Piccolo, remember, you don’t need to murder my previous partners?”

“But I _want_ to murder this one,” Piccolo said with a malevolent smile.

Talon said again, his eyes burning into Vegeta, “I can’t fucking believe you pair-bonded with a Namek. What the hell is a Namek doing on Earth anyway?”

Piccolo sneered down at Talon, clearly irritated at being ignored. “Being a deity. Being worshipped as a god, the Kami and the Demon King.”

Talon’s face darkened, he looked up at Piccolo and bit out, “Go back to being a god, then, leave the mortal business of mating to us lesser beings.”

“Vegeta is not _lesser_! If you want to live, you need to go, now. Right this fucking second.”

Bulma appeared with a huge platter of food and drink. She chirped cheerily, “Hey guys! Let’s stop all the quarreling and have a bite to eat, okay?”

Piccolo’s face was grim and he said, without turning away from Talon, “Nice try, Bulma, but—“

“Piccolo! Don’t you fucking argue with me or I’ll kill the gravity machine and Vegeta will be crabby!”

He turned and made a sour face as he grumbled, “Oh, fine, I am fucking starving after several days without food.”

Vegeta walked with his hand on Piccolo’s lower back, and as they sat down, Piccolo’s hand slid onto Vegeta’s leg. Vegeta hoped his demon couldn’t feel him shaking, couldn’t sense how upset he was.

Bulma called, “Come on, Talon, you too!”

Talon sat down reluctantly, assessing Piccolo. He was obviously very annoyed to see such a formidable foe, but Vegeta thought poor Talon didn’t know the half of it. Piccolo’s current chi was about a third of his resting normal power, and it still dwarfed Talon’s. If Piccolo ramped up, Talon probably wouldn’t even understand what was happening.

“Why did you tell me Vegeta had no mate if _you_ were his mate?” Talon asked, not angrily, but clearly baffled.

Piccolo inhaled some food, thanked Bulma, and answered, “I…I didn’t know at that time. I’d had some memory issues.”

“What does that mean? Vegeta, I don’t understand,” Talon said and it physically hurt Vegeta to look in his former love’s eyes and see such suffering, such confusion.

Bulma started giggling, then laughing, then guffawing until she almost fell out of her chair. The three aliens stared at her. She finally calmed down and said, “Look, Talon, you poor guy, I tried to tell you to go on your way, but now that you see, what more is there to understand? You’ll never split these two, trust me. I have tried and it is a waste of love and effort.”

Talon gave her a smirk and chuckled as he said, “Obviously you aren’t quite the type Vegeta prefers.”

Vegeta hissed, “It’s a fucking coincidence that you’re both Nameks!”

Piccolo and Talon eyed each other, eating, and they both started to laugh. Piccolo snorted and said, “You gave him a taste for _theadur_.”

“He wouldn’t fuck mine, so I obviously didn’t give him enough of a taste for it,” Talon said.

Piccolo’s smile was cold as he said, “I assure you, he has a taste for mine.”

Talon launched to his feet, but Vegeta knocked him down on his back before he was anywhere near Piccolo. “No, Talon, don’t touch him. Never fucking touch him.”

Vegeta held him down and Piccolo seethed jealously behind him. Once Talon’s body relaxed, Vegeta helped him up and he sat sulking in his seat. Talon’s eyes darted between Piccolo and Vegeta; they would tear up and then he would blink them away.

After they finished eating, Vegeta took Piccolo back toward the house and murmured, “Go back and rest. Let me talk to him. He’s broken-hearted. Let me at least not hurt him anymore. Please?”

Piccolo kissed him savagely, holding him by his ass. “Don’t let him touch you.”

“No, not like that. Go on. Go rest.”

“If he touches you, I’ll murder him.”

“Piccolo, I’m not going to cheat on you,” Vegeta said, sighing heavily. He found jealousy exhausting. He continued, “But sometimes people need hugs.”

Piccolo’s eyebrows shot up. “Who are you and what have you done with my mate?” He laughed. “I have never had so much cognitive dissonance in my life.”

Vegeta smirked and kissed Piccolo again, slapping his ass as he said, “You’ve made me have feelings, so this is your own fault.”

Piccolo shouted to Talon, “Don’t touch my mate or I’ll fuck you up!”

Talon made a gesture at Piccolo that Vegeta knew meant roughly, _Go fuck yourself with a blade._

Piccolo left and Bulma did too, but she called, “Pointless, Talon! Totally pointless! Vegeta, no murdering or fighting at my house!”

“I know, woman!” Vegeta barked.

He returned his attention to Talon and pointed an accusing finger at him. “ _That_ was rude. Don’t be rude to my mate or _I’ll_ fuck you up. And you know I will.”

“You’ve already fucked me up just by lifting your shirt. How, Vegeta? I thought…I thought what we had was special. I thought…I don’t know…I thought once we were free…I thought the only reason we weren’t mates was because of Frieza.” Talon's face was so sad that Vegeta felt miserable, then Talon started to sob, not a few stray tears like earlier, but real, deep, agonized sobs.

“Oh gods, Talon, don’t cry. Fuck. I’m sorry for how I ended things. And I…if my life had been different. If…If not for Frieza…” Vegeta didn’t even dare say out loud the truth. He would have mated with Talon in a heartbeat if not for Frieza. He continued lamely, “I was a different person then than I am now. I’m sorry you came all this way. I’m even more sorry if you’ve been pining for me all these years.”

Talon seemed to deflate as he dropped to his knees. He sobbed into his hands. Vegeta approached him warily and rubbed his shoulder. Talon choked out, “I waited for you…after I told you to fuck off. I waited, because I was so sure you'd come back to me after your mission, but then you were gone…gone…and I had no idea where. When I heard you were back, but nearly dead, I came for you, to beg you to take me with you, but by the time I could get away to the hospital wing, you were gone again and no one knew where. Then everyone thought you were dead. I tried to let you go, even though I knew in my heart you were alive. I tried to forget you. Then…when…when I talked to the Namek here, I remembered all the books you got me from Earth and connected it with Frieza interrogating me after you and Nappa and Raditz deserted. It was so humiliating. Thankfully he kept Zarbon from…using me up…in case you came back, he wanted leverage.”

“Fuck, Talon, I didn’t think he knew about us. Did…” Vegeta swallowed his own horrified tears as he croaked, “Did he let Zarbon…use you…at all?”

Talon looked away, breathing deeply for a long moment. He turned back, his eyes blank, and said, “It doesn’t matter. One of Cui’s little minions was spying on you, collecting dirt, which he had passed on to Frieza. Apparently Frieza said to let it continue because he thought I ‘pacified’ you. I thought that too. I thought you’d come back to me…I didn't really want you to go. I didn’t really want to break up.” Talon let out another sob.

Vegeta wanted to comfort Talon, to crush him in his arms and kiss him, do anything that might heal the fact that he had doomed his lover to being raped by Zarbon. Probably repeatedly. But Vegeta couldn’t help Talon now. Just as he hadn’t been able to protect him then. Vegeta managed to keep his hand from shaking as he gripped Talon’s shoulder. “Fucking gods, Talon. I’m so sorry that I wasn’t there to protect you from Zarbon…I killed him, if that’s any consolation. And…even if you hadn’t broken it off, maybe even if we hadn’t been caught by Nappa: I was going anyway. I couldn’t stay any longer with what Frieza was doing to me. I…Fuck, Talon…” 

Vegeta’s voice dropped to an almost inaudible whisper, “I loved you, deeply, as you well fucking know, but we could never have been together as long as he was alive. I had to go. And I wanted to free you…From him, yes, but I knew it was unrealistic. So I wanted to free you from me. I thought I had. But…I went through a lot. I died. Then I was trapped here and…and I found Piccolo. I never looked back once I found him. If I had known you were holding out hope for me, I would have told you not to: I assumed you’d move on since you ended it.”

“ _You_ ended it, Vegeta, you said so yourself, by being such a prick.”

“Yes, but I thought that would cure you of any attachment to me. I was a coward, but I also thought it would help you.”

“Well it didn’t! It just broke my heart, you son of bitch.” Talon slapped away Vegeta’s hand. “You broke _me_. Gods, I can’t fucking believe I let you…oh fuck…I let you…” He trailed off into another bout of terrible, wracking sobs.

“I know, I know, Talon. I know what I did to you. But I can’t…I can’t change things. I can’t change how I feel. I wish I hadn’t been a coward…” Vegeta’s voice dropped again, “If there’d been any way to escape him…”

“I still can’t believe you split with me because Nappa caught us. You could have brought me with you.”

“Talon…I didn’t…I got scared. I wasn’t capable of being what you wanted. Not when I was a slave. And I knew if you came with me, you’d be killed. I would have brought you if I had any inkling that Frieza…or Zarbon…knew.”

Talon sneered and hissed, “You could have come back for me! Instead you found a replacement Namek…I can’t believe you mated in less than a year.”

“Talon, godsdamnit! He’s not a replacement for you! And I couldn’t come back for you, I didn’t have a fucking ship! Even if I’d wanted to come back, I was a traitor, they undoubtedly would have had me killed. I also…even though I treated you poorly to incite you…you did break it off, and you told me to fuck off. To never speak to you again. To never contact you! So…I thought…I thought I was doing what was best for you. And Piccolo’s species is irrelevant. Plus I’ve been with Piccolo longer than that, we just happened to be separated when you spoke to him. He had merged and forgotten me.”

“Merged? I didn’t know Nameks still did that. You pair-bonded with someone who _forgot_ you?”

Vegeta growled, “It was more complicated than that! It’s been six years, Talon, find someone else!”

“I’ve tried! Fuck, Vegeta, don’t you think I’ve tried? I wouldn’t be here if I had found someone who made me feel the way you did.” He choked on another sob.

“Maybe you should go to the Namek settlement.”

“Seems more to your taste than mine,” Talon said, with a wet chuckle.

“Fuck you! It’s a coincidence.”

“Pretty long fucking odds on you mating with two fucking Nameks!”

“I was also with a human female—so don’t act like I have a string of broken Nameks behind me. I just have you! And we…we were never mated.” Vegeta was shaky. It was not going well. He wanted to apologize, but what he really wanted was absolution, and assurance that Talon would be okay. That Vegeta hadn’t truly broken him. He wanted to not feel how he still felt about Talon.

“Oh yeah? Tell that to your fucking tail! Or my fucking _theadur._ I can’t believe I ever let you touch me. Fuck, what I wouldn’t give to go back. To never fuck you at all. I’m sorry I ever met you.”

Vegeta said sadly, stupidly, “Well, I’m not. I still value our time together, and I’m honored that you let me have that. I have nothing but good memories with you until the bitter end.”

“Yeah, me too, but I should have just ended it after we fucked a couple times. I never should have come back to you when you found me after that first mission. Fuck you.”

Vegeta gave a weak laugh. “I do think you liked getting fucked by me, if memory serves.”

Talon gave Vegeta a teary smile, then sighed miserably. He walked to the railing and leaned over it to look out at the wide lawn. “I did, but I wish I’d left when that was all it was. But the window…well…I don’t know…I don’t know that it was ever just fucking with you, Vegeta.”

“There were many signs that I’m a piece of shit, I’m sorry you didn’t see them, for your sake, but not for mine. I loved you, Talon. You were wonderful.”

Talon cried more, his face in his hands, but when he looked up again, his eyes locked on Trunks, racing around the lawn after Scratch, their cat. “That’s your son?”

“My oldest, yes.”

Talon’s red, raw eyes grew wide as he said, “You impregnated her more than once?”

“No, Piccolo and I just had twins. That’s why his chi is low. He gave birth not two days ago.”

“Twins? Holy shit. And that’s low? But he's insanely powerful!”

“No, he’s worn down. Bulma stalled you because you arrived when he was still in labor.”

Talon held a hand over his mouth. “Gods, Vegeta, I was so happy when I found out you were really alive, that I wasn’t delusional…now this. I think you being dead is easier than you having a mate.”

“The man you were with _is_ dead, Talon. I’m not that man…It was…” Vegeta whispered, his voice shaky, “It was easier for me, too, when I thought I’d never see you again.”

“None of that changes how I feel. I hate that I can’t even fight for you. He would destroy me, even in his weakened state,” Talon said.

“ _I_ would destroy you before you ever landed a blow. Don’t test me on that. Bulma has the coordinates of New Namek, but otherwise I have no advice to offer. I can only say I’m sorry you came all this way for me to disappoint you again. I always hated disappointing you.” Now Vegeta feared he would cry. He took a long, shuddering breath. “You need to leave, Talon.”

Talon stepped toward Vegeta, tried to touch his face, but Vegeta caught his hand. “Don’t,” he hissed.

“Please?” Talon whispered.

“No, never. That I can’t give you,” but Vegeta hesitantly pulled Talon into a tight hug.

Talon froze with shock, but then his arms wrapped around Vegeta’s neck and he squeezed Vegeta, crying hard again. He muttered, “I love you, Vegeta, I love you.”

“No, you love a dead man. Bury him, grieve, and move on,” Vegeta said softly. Vegeta let him hold on for a while, but eventually he pushed Talon gently away, not because he wanted to, but because he never did. Vegeta’s heart shredded as it tried to be with Piccolo and with Talon. Vegeta touched his mating scar to remind himself, though his tail scar burned as if in reply. But Vegeta loved Piccolo just as intensely, only now…now there was doubt underneath that love, making it slippery, hard to keep steady.

Talon wiped his eyes, then fell apart again, and covered his face with his hands.

“Did you come here in a pod?” Vegeta asked.

Talon nodded. “How do I grieve knowing you’re alive? Why does it feel so much worse that he’s a Namek?”

“It was rather challenging for me at first as well.”

Talon gave a little laugh and said, “Is that other Saiyan available as a rebound?”

Vegeta snorted and snarled, “He’s in the afterlife, but he has a taste for Nameks. You might be unpleasantly surprised if you were…receptive to him.”

“I’ve been unpleasantly surprised by everyone since you, Vegeta. I wish you hadn’t been such a good lover on top of me falling in love with you, you beautiful, muscular piece of shit.”

“Look, Talon, I need to tend to my husband, and we’re talking in circles. I'm sure Bulma can find a room for you to stay a few days and make a plan.”

Talon nodded forlornly. Vegeta called down to Bulma on the lawn, “Woman! Can Talon stay here for a while until he figures out what to do with himself?”

“Sure! I’ll be up in a few to show you to a guest suite, Talon!”

“She’s very easygoing for an ex-girlfriend, Vegeta,” Talon said with a smirk.

“That is a gross understatement. She’s a saint and I don’t deserve anything she’s given me. Do not hurt her or disrespect her or you’ll answer to me.” Vegeta raised his eyebrows as he saw Talon watch Bulma with a growing smile.

Talon said, “She certainly is lovely, if not to my taste.”

“She is. Talon, if you stay on, don’t antagonize Piccolo, or I’ll make you regret it.”

Talon’s face turned to despondency again. He groaned, “Gods, Vegeta…I…I don’t know how to get over you.”

“Find something better.”

“Easier said than done, because I’ve been trying. I’ve tried and tried and tried.”

“You may have to try falling in love, Talon, not just finding a better fuck.”

Bulma strutted across the balcony, wearing a clingy blue sundress that brought out her eyes. Vegeta saw Talon’s eyes fly over her body. Vegeta whispered, close to Talon’s ear, “Though a good lay is always helpful,” and patted him on the shoulder.

Vegeta could feel Talon’s gaze on him as he left, and turned to see a morose frown on Talon’s face, tears in his eyes. 

Bulma said, her dazzling eyes on Talon, “C’mon, cutie, let’s get you settled in. Then you look like you could use a stiff drink. Maybe more than a stiff drink, huh? That hot jerk always makes me want a drink or two.”

Vegeta glanced back again. Vegeta knew he should be happy for Talon, happy for Bulma, but all he felt was a surge of bitter jealousy as Bulma slid her hand down Talon’s arm and twined her fingers with his long, elegant fingers. When Talon turned his lopsided smile down at her, and Vegeta heard his first love’s melodic laughter, he almost burst into tears. But Vegeta made himself turn away, breathing deeply the entire way back to his room. He needed Piccolo to be asleep. He couldn’t face his mate in that moment, not right after the biggest festering wound of Vegeta’s life had been torn back open, revealing how thin the scab had been the whole time.


	2. Lust and Longing

Vegeta sighed with relief when he found Piccolo asleep. Vegeta loved Piccolo, ached with his love for Piccolo, but seeing Talon had shaken him. Now Vegeta fully grasped how much he’d suppressed his memories of Talon—memories that made him ache for Talon, too. Vegeta loathed himself for leaving Talon to Zarbon’s depredation and causing his first love even more harm than Vegeta had imagined in his guiltiest hours. Vegeta wanted to fix it somehow, but he couldn’t, he just had to live with his own shame and self-hatred. The longing. The memories. Such sweet memories.

He stripped and curled next to Piccolo, even though it was still morning. Piccolo shifted and wrapped Vegeta in his arms, humming, half-asleep, as he breathed against Vegeta’s neck. He murmured, “I love you, Vegeta,” and slipped back into unconsciousness.

Later that evening, after the sun had gone down, Vegeta felt Talon’s chi fluttering up precipitously. Bulma had expanded her alien palate. The eventual spiking of both her chi and Talon’s confirmed his fear. He wondered if she’d had an itch to try some Namek herself since Vegeta had proposed a threesome. Vegeta swallowed his bitter, astringent jealousy and told himself to be happy for both of them. Maybe they would cure each other of Vegeta.

Piccolo rolled and pulled Vegeta onto his chest. He muttered, “I think Talon and Bulma maybe found some solace in each other. Probably hinders our chances of a Bulma threesome,” and his grin glinted in the darkness.

Vegeta took a long breath and said, “Yes…I hope they’re enjoying one another. I’m sorry if I woke you. How are you feeling? Your body is fucking incredible, the way it heals. I’m delighted that you kept your mark, even after your belly did so much regenerating.” Vegeta ran his fingers over the mark, more to remind himself of his love and commitment than out of surprise that it had survived.

Piccolo said, “My stomach might look healed, but it doesn’t feel healed. I feel hollow and stretched out and sore and tired. A little empty, and not just physically.”

“That sounds awful, but also natural, given all that your body has been through in the past two weeks, or even the past three days,” Vegeta ran his hand over Piccolo’s belly, feeling more at peace every minute he was with Piccolo. With his mate. His love. His husband.

Piccolo complained, “Dende said no sex for two weeks, that my insides take more time to heal than anything external.”

“We’ll rest up so we can make up for lost time once you’re well. But I didn’t mean just physically. The amount of shit that’s happened…it’s been…momentous,” Vegeta said and kissed him.

Piccolo started to speak, then paused with his mouth open. Then he said, “Actually, I’m feeling relieved. I’ve been freaking out about mating with you and coming home and giving birth and Talon potentially showing up…but I’m kind of glad that it’s over. Obviously parts of it were terrible, but you were right: we got through it together. Though I won’t pretend I’m not pissed you let him stay here, Vegeta.”

“I know, but if Bulma didn’t run a hostel for wayward aliens, you’d never have gotten me, so let us trust to fate. I’m yours, my demon love. Letting him stay is its own punishment, trust me. It’s hard to see how badly I hurt someone I cared for so deeply. I caused him even more suffering than I ever imagined.”

“But you don’t…still…care?” Piccolo said, his brows going up in a worried peak.

“Not like that, no, but I…want him to be happy…He and I had a good time together and he, like Bulma, helped me survive a terrible time in my life. Don’t begrudge me that.” Vegeta didn’t like the taste of the half-truth in his mouth. He didn’t like not being completely open with Piccolo, but admitting how much seeing Talon had effected him would only upset his mate, it would serve no other purpose. Honesty felt selfish.

Piccolo grumbled, “I can’t help that I’m jealous. Although it was fun to see him watching you ogle me while I strutted around. To see him know that I’m hotter. Stronger. Bigger. I know it’s petty, but I liked it anyway.”

“It was good he saw your mark. He knows what it means. It was hard for him to see mine, but until he saw yours, I don’t think he quite believed it.”

Piccolo’s chi flared and he growled, his arms tightening around Vegeta like he meant to crush him, “You showed him your mark?”

“Gods, why are you mad about _that_? I thought you’d like me showing off your claim on me! Me saying I was with you wasn’t enough, it left lingering hope. So I showed him and he knew instantly that he had no chance. Seeing yours on your glorious body broke the last of his rebellious spirit that was likely gathering for some final, foolish gambit. It’s real to him now that I’m as good as dead. Now, seeing our marks, he might finally be able to move on. Which is what I wished for him years ago.”

“I’m still mad,” Piccolo said, loosening his hold.

“Well, next time don’t tell my fucking ex that I’m single,” Vegeta said with a snort.

Piccolo chortled and kissed Vegeta deeply. “Dende didn’t say anything about me fucking you…”

Vegeta gave him a harsh look. “He did too. We’re not allowed to get you off at all, in any way, I’m sorry to say. He said it will mess with your hormones leveling out. And he said that’s important because that’s what will shut down your fertility so we can keep fucking your _theadur_ without you getting pregnant.”

Piccolo slid his hand onto Vegeta’s prick, but Vegeta stopped him, took it away. “No, I’ll abstain with you. I don’t want to risk an accidental, sympathetic orgasm.”

“Come on, Vegeta,” Piccolo whispered against his neck, kissing him, nipping him.

“No. Doctor’s orders. Kissing is all you get. Have you seen the eggs yet?”

Piccolo beamed and Vegeta was glad his redirection had worked. His demon said, “Yeah, they’re perfect, aren’t they? Dende said they look and feel healthy. I can feel their tiny little chi growing every hour, it seems. They’re going to be so powerful.”

“You did great. Though I think two might have to be it. I’m not sure I can survive another labour. I was so scared I’d lose you.”

“Not even death will keep me from you this time, Vegeta,” Piccolo murmured as he kissed Vegeta.

“I don’t much care for your suffering either.”

Piccolo smirked. “You never mind it when we’re training…or when you make me come over and over and over again.”

Vegeta tried to contain his smile. “Well, there’s a time and a place for everything.”

“What about toys? Can I use toys on you in my convalescence?”

“No! Nothing sexual. We’re to keep it strictly above the waist and tame.”

“I think Dende’s just jealous,” Piccolo grumped.

“I think you’re just frustrated and horny.”

“I _am_ horny. Seeing Talon made me want to mark you again in a public ceremony,” Piccolo growled and put his teeth against the meat of Vegeta’s shoulder.

“I’m not sure I could enjoy that or perform,” Vegeta said.

“When those two weeks are up, if he’s still here, I make no promises that I won’t brand what’s mine again. In front of him.”

Vegeta tried to subdue the hard-on that Piccolo’s threats were causing, but it proved very persistent. 

Piccolo purred in Vegeta’s ear, “I’m tempted to bite you now, see if you come.”

“No! Remember that you came too. Please, Piccolo, ah!” Piccolo’s hand was on him again and his demon was relentless. “Piccolo, we shouldn’t, please…”

Piccolo bit Vegeta’s shoulder, not hard enough to break skin for every tooth, but his fangs cut through and Vegeta smelled his blood, felt Piccolo lap at it, and despite his efforts, Piccolo’s twisting hand won, and Vegeta came hard, curling against his demon as his abs clenched. He cried out in his pleasure and gasped for breath.

Piccolo gave him a few final strokes and kissed him. He growled against Vegeta’s lips, “You’re _mine_. I’m not going to go two weeks with that fucker here, in our house, without getting you off. So get used to hand-jobs and blowjobs.”

“Piccolo, no, it’s not fair to you,” Vegeta panted, still twitching with the aftershocks of the aggressively achieved orgasm.

“Oh, don’t give me that shit, Vegeta. I’m not going to have a relationship where orgasms are allotted tit for tat, for fuck’s sake, and even if I were, I’m so far in the red. I love getting you off, but you still seem to be having trouble accepting that. Why won’t you just let me love on you? It drives me fucking crazy how much you resist me pleasuring you. Is this a weird power-top thing? Or just a weird Vegeta thing? Because I think you’re so insecure that you feel powerless and scared when you aren’t ‘winning’ the pleasure ‘battle’ that you’ve created in your fucked up Saiyan head.”

Vegeta scowled. “You’re very mean to your husband at times.”

“Well, stop being so fucking difficult,” Piccolo whispered, grinning and kissing Vegeta. “But seriously, are you even aware of this pattern? If not, could you try to practice a moment of self-reflection before being unnecessarily recalcitrant?”

Vegeta kissed Piccolo and said, “You still feel too good to be true, Piccolo, so I panic when I feel like you’re doing extra anything for me. And I do worry about you, right now.”

“You do. I know. You’re very good at worrying unnecessarily. And not just now. All the time.”

“Don’t be mad at me,” Vegeta whispered, nuzzling into Piccolo’s neck and kissing the hot skin under his jaw.

“I’m only mad that you let your ex-boyfriend stay down the hall when I can’t fuck you,” Piccolo said, his voice almost shaking.

“I’m probably lucky, this will give your ass-ripping jealousy time to burn itself out,” Vegeta said, and wished he felt less angry. Less scared.

“I won’t do that again. I still feel terrible about hurting you,” Piccolo said, but Vegeta didn’t think he sounded remorseful.

“Piccolo, you hurting me is like when I make you super-come; it’s how you deal with strong feelings. After Bulma got knocked up was the worst, but you know there’ve been others, when I didn’t say anything.”

Piccolo sighed. Glared for a minute before his face softened and he said, “I know. And I know it’s a separate issue from the day to day hurt I’ve caused you.”

“So don’t pretend like this isn’t okay timing.”

“I wish he wasn’t staying at all, fuck the timing,” Piccolo bit out.

“I’m not the only one with insecurities. You have them too, despite having the shittier husband,” Vegeta said with a tentative kiss.

“You’re not shittier. Not wanting my husband’s ex-boyfriend to stay down the hall is reasonable, not insecure. But yes, I’m definitely insecure about my skills in bed compared to yours, Vegeta. You’ve had way more experience than me and you’ve obviously put a lot of effort into making sure your partners were satisfied, which I confess was against my experience of and prejudice against promiscuous men.”

Vegeta frowned. “I…I don’t just put effort in. I genuinely prefer giving you pleasure. I would take your orgasm over mine any day, if I could only choose one.”

Piccolo propped himself up on his elbow and his eyes searched Vegeta’s as he said, “I know that, my love, believe me, I know. It can have exhausting consequences. But sometimes I want to be that one. It’s a position of power.”

“But you have power too, you’re always telling me when to come. You know I can’t disobey you,” Vegeta said, smirking.

Piccolo kissed him aggressively, took Vegeta’s cum-sticky cock in his hand, and started moving his hand along its already rigid length.

“Piccolo…” Vegeta breathed, but arched into his demon’s rough grip.

Piccolo poured lube on both his hands. He crawled above Vegeta, pushed his legs up. The lube allowed him to stroke Vegeta smoothly. He slid his hand up and down, gripping Vegeta tightly as his other hand’s fingers found Vegeta’s knot, probed it, swirled around it, and Piccolo rasped, “Can I finger you? I’m so riled up, Vegeta, and since I can’t get off, you getting off is my relief. Okay?” Vegeta nodded and Piccolo kissed over his jaw and neck before he purred in Vegeta’s ear, “Are you going to obey me? When I tell you to come?”

“Yes, oh gods, Piccolo,” Vegeta was so close already: it turned Vegeta on when Piccolo took the initiative, was more assertive. And despite Vegeta’s inner turmoil, some part of him like Piccolo’s possessiveness, even if it also made Vegeta nervous. Vegeta gasped, “I got so turned on when you got in Talon’s face. Seeing you show off where I marked you.”

Piccolo pushed a finger inside Vegeta and groaned, “Gods, and if I’m being honest, it turns me on that some fucker flew across the universe for my husband, but you chose me. It turns me on that you chose me, even after everything,” he paused kissing Vegeta more, then continued, “Can I try another, my love? I’ll be gentle and add more lube.”

“Yes, but easy, please, gentle.”

“Yeah, of course. I love you, my husband,” Piccolo said and grinned. Vegeta did too. He liked the sound of Piccolo referring to him as “husband.”

Their mouths came together hungrily, and Piccolo slid a second finger alongside the first. Vegeta relaxed more, knowing Piccolo wasn’t going to try to hurt him out of anger or jealousy, at least not right now. Piccolo groaned, “Oh gods, Vegeta, oh fuck, thank you. Let me, okay?”

“Not your dick, Dende said not that.”

“No, I know, just let me inside you.”

“I am,” Vegeta breathed.

“I know, and you feel so fucking amazing.” Vegeta was so close he wasn’t sure Piccolo would get any more inside him before Vegeta started clenching as he came, but he wanted more. Piccolo gasped, as if reading his mind, “I know you don’t like three, do you want me to stay at two?”

Vegeta writhed and panted, “I don’t know…I want more, I think, but…”

Piccolo’s face brightened and he looked very pleased. He kissed and sucked all over Vegeta’s jaw, up to his ear where he rasped, “What about a dildo? I know we’ve never done it with you, so it’s okay if you don’t—“

Vegeta cut him off, “Yes, let’s try it. If I can’t have your dick, we might as well experiment.”

Piccolo sprang out of bed. Vegeta took a deep breath, a mixture of excitement and nerves. He tried to stay relaxed. Piccolo crawled back above him, kissing Vegeta fervently, and he gasped, “It’s a good thing your legs are tucked up, because I would come from dry-humping your thigh right now.”

“Piccolo! Gods, you know I can’t handle when you talk like that. Stop touching my dick if you want to put that thing in me.”

Piccolo said, his eyes wide and a huge smile on his face, “Can I make you come with just your ass?”

Vegeta gave him a lopsided grin and said, “I don’t know, can you?”

This provoked a round of passionate kissing while Piccolo gasped his name and whispered, “Gods, Vegeta, how am I going to survive two weeks without putting my dick in you?”

Vegeta panted and looked down to see Piccolo’s erection straining against his jeans, which he’d kept on as some sort of half-assed chastity belt. Pre-cum had made a damp spot. Vegeta said, “You said you wanted to be able to get just me off sometimes…this ought to cure you of that.”

“Never. I’ll never have enough of getting you off,” Piccolo said as he circled his tongue around Vegeta’s nipple. He took Vegeta’s hand in his and they lubed the dildo together. Piccolo whispered, “Help me, okay? So I don’t hurt you.”

“It’s way smaller than you—“

“I know, but do it with me anyway? It turns me on. Please?”

Vegeta kept his hand wrapped around Piccolo’s as Piccolo guided him. Vegeta felt the smooth head of the dildo press against his bud. Piccolo was trembling, his mouth open as he gasped for breath, and his eyelids were heavy. Vegeta relaxed and let Piccolo inch the dildo inside him. Vegeta couldn't stifle the small cries that were bursting out of him on every breath. Piccolo pushed it farther inside him. “Piccolo, fuck, oh fuck—“

“Too much?”

“No, keep going…”

Piccolo laced his fingers with Vegeta's on the dildo and their other hand too. Piccolo quivered and stopped to take a long breath. He said, “Fuck. I almost came in my jeans like a twelve year old. Gods, Vegeta, the effect you have on me…”

Vegeta’s dick twitched, as if in sympathy, and Piccolo gave him a long, growling kiss. He slid the dildo until their hands were pressed against his asshole, just holding the flared base. When Vegeta tried to pull his hand away, Piccolo protested, “Vegeta, no. I want to watch you do it. I want you to show me. Do it how you like it.”

Vegeta squirmed and stammered, “I…I’ve never…I’ve never even…not even with my fingers, like this…I don't know how.”

“Treat yourself like you treat your bottoms.”

“Please don’t make me—“

“Vegeta,” Piccolo whispered and caressed his face, “I am making you. You said you’d obey me. So obey me, and make yourself come like this while I watch. I’ll kiss you and play with your nipples if you want, but you’re going to do this for me, because it’s so fucking hot.”

The arousal Vegeta felt when Piccolo commanded him was still shocking, even after all their time together. His dick perked up, making Piccolo grin. Vegeta trembled as he trailed his hand back between his legs. “Don’t laugh at me.”

“Why would I laugh at you?” Piccolo said, looking hurt.

“Because I have no idea what I’m doing.”

“Vegeta, when did you jerk off the first time?”

“I don’t know, I was pretty young, Saiyans mature young.”

“Did someone show you how?” Piccolo pulsed the dildo gently as he spoke, pulling it out a little and adding more lube.

“Of course not!” Vegeta said.

“Then how’d you do it?”

“I figured out pretty quickly what felt good,” Vegeta said with a snort.

“Do that. I’m not going to laugh, I’m going to try not to come in my jeans,” Piccolo rasped and kissed Vegeta.

Vegeta still shook and Piccolo gripped his hand, dragged it down over his dick and put it back on the flange of the dildo. Piccolo kept his fingers on Vegeta’s hand, as if to support Vegeta, to give him the illusion that it wasn’t what it was, to make Vegeta less embarrassed.

His mouth found Vegeta’s nipple, swirling it, brushing it against his fangs. He skimmed his fingers up over Vegeta’s wrist, up to his arm, and onto his jaw, and kissed his mouth again. Vegeta started to pull his hand away to hold Piccolo’s face, but Piccolo murmured, “Do what I told you to do, Vegeta. I gave birth to your children two days ago, you can masturbate for me.”

Vegeta had a brief moment of terror because he felt like he might cry. He had never, with all his partners, masturbated in front of anyone besides Talon. And that had been different. Because it was Talon. And it was only jerking off, not this. Not being penetrated. Vegeta started to go soft, which only made him want to cry more. Piccolo kept kissing him though, pleading, “Please, Vegeta, I want to watch. Please? Why won’t you do this for me? Pretend it’s my dick if you want.”

“I can’t, it’s too small,” Vegeta said, laughing a little.

“Fine, pretend I’m holding it. Better yet, pretend it’s my ass. Do it like it’s my ass. What would do to me if you had that dildo in my ass right now?”

Vegeta vacillated between utter mortification and extreme arousal thinking about what Piccolo wanted him to do, and what Piccolo said he could imagine while doing it. Piccolo put his hand over Vegeta’s again and whispered, “Should I help you get started with what I’d do? What I did do, once your fucking incredible body started to wake me up from Kami’s influence?”

Vegeta’s eyes snapped to his demon’s. “You…you did this?” Piccolo made several small thrusts with the dildo. Vegeta stuttered a few cries it felt so good. His dick started to come back to life.

“Fuck, Vegeta, once I saw you that day and got my first post-Kami hard-on, I tried every form of masturbation the internet could illustrate. But this is the one I enjoyed the most when fantasizing about you—though I used a bigger dildo,” Piccolo said the last part with a shy smile.

After another breathless bout of kissing, Vegeta took over from Piccolo and moved the dildo on his own. He pulled it out a little more each time. He experimented with the angle until he found the perfect one, pointed slightly up toward his belly button. He moaned Piccolo’s name again and again. He started thrusting more, now that he had the angle he liked, and gasped, “More lube, my demon,” and felt Piccolo’s fingers as he put more lube on, but also played with his ass where it stretched around the dildo. “Fuck, Piccolo, I’m aching to come.”

“Not yet, Vegeta, I want to watch more. I’ll tell you when. Show me more, it’s so fucking hot.”

Vegeta still felt awkward, but as he mastered a slow pulsing rhythm, he slid his eyes open to see Piccolo watching him.

Piccolo’s face was rapturous, like he was fucking Vegeta. That only made Vegeta more eager to come for his demon. He moved it faster and deeper. Deeper still and he was so close, all he wanted was Piccolo’s command.

Finally Piccolo’s gravelly voice growled, “I need it, Vegeta. Come for me. Come hard for me, my love.” Piccolo’s hip thrust into the air and his hands ran up and down the back of Vegeta’s thighs.

Vegeta bellowed and pushed the dildo as deep as he could, pulsing it against his prostate. His whole body seized and he erupted, his seed spurting into Piccolo’s hand as his demon grabbed him to stroke him the second he started to come, intensifying his orgasm and making him wail with his release.

Piccolo’s hand was on his on the dildo and his demon groaned, “Oh my fucking gods, Vegeta, I can feel your ass squeezing. Just imagining it on my dick is so hot.”

His demon bent and pressed his mouth to Vegeta’s mark, sucking hard. Vegeta’s balls clenched and a final burst of semen jetted out of him, making him cry out more. Piccolo gathered Vegeta up in his arms and crushed their bodies together. They kissed and Vegeta gasped more, the dildo still in his twitching ass. Piccolo muttered against his lips and neck, “I love you, Vegeta, I love you so much. Thank you, that was so hot.”

Vegeta’s head fell against Piccolo’s chest, but his demon’s mouth demanded more, turning him to the side to kiss. His demon’s hips surged against him and Vegeta whispered in between kisses, “You okay? Fuck, Piccolo, the blue balls this is going to give you.”

“Worth it,” Piccolo said and stilled his hips, breathing slowly through his nose as they kissed more. His hands were everywhere on Vegeta’s body, finally coming to rest on Vegeta’s ass as his fingers searched out the base of the dildo, clamped tightly in Vegeta’s ass. “You want me to help you take it out, my love? Or do you want to do it?”

Vegeta shuddered and gasped, “I need a minute. I’m sorry. I just need a minute.”

“Take as long as you need.”

Piccolo squeezed him and they were quiet for a long time. Vegeta knew it was late and Piccolo was likely exhausted, that they should both go to sleep. But Vegeta felt wrung out by the day, like he was free-falling and still couldn’t see the ground. He choked out, “I guess I do need help. I…I think I should’ve taken it out right away.”

Piccolo said, “Nah, it’s fine. Leaving it in after you come will help you tolerate larger things later—like my dick. Relax for me, okay?” His demon’s fingers were softly massaging his stretched opening, then gripping the base of the dildo. As he started to pull, Vegeta panicked, fearing it would tear him.

Piccolo froze and said, “Too tense, my love, it’ll hurt coming out like that. Shh…” Piccolo’s free hand ran over his back and butt. Piccolo kissed him and continued softly, “You did great. It was so hot watching you fuck yourself with it. I hope you’ll do it for me again when I can get off.”

Vegeta looked up into Piccolo’s eyes, “Seriously?”

“Yes, seriously. Wouldn’t you enjoy watching me do it?”

Vegeta considered and his dick answered before he could, eliciting a rumbling chuckle from Piccolo, which only made Vegeta harder. Vegeta said, “I do like watching you be penetrated, so this would be a smorgasbord of that. Fuck, now I’m all hot again.”

Piccolo purred, “Are you?” and began gently pumping the dildo into Vegeta.

“Oh fuck, Piccolo, oh fuck, it feels amazing.”

“Can I do this with your ass in the air so I can see? I’ll add more lube.”

Vegeta nodded, already panting, and Piccolo held his belly and rolled him up onto his knees. More lube dripped on him as Piccolo softly bit his ass cheek with a growl. “This is like training for me to do you like you do me, when you make me come again and again without a break. Holy shit, Vegeta, that ass of yours…” More bites and Piccolo began to move the dildo again.

Vegeta imagined doing this to Piccolo and got even harder, pushing back toward Piccolo’s thrusts.

“Give me that ass, Vegeta,” Piccolo rasped against Vegeta’s skin, withdrawing the dildo until just the tip remained inside Vegeta. He plunged it back in slowly and pulsed it there, then withdrew it again.

Vegeta’s breaths came out as high cries of pleasure as Piccolo kept fucking him that way. His demon curled over him, kissing down his spine, and growled, “Do you want me to make you come like this? Or do you want me to touch your dick?”

Vegeta almost told Piccolo to do whatever he wanted, but then he remembered the way Piccolo’s face had looked when he’d been masturbating. It made him believe Piccolo cared about Vegeta’s pleasure, not just what turned Piccolo on. So he said, “Just this. See if you can make me come just like this.”

Piccolo smiled against his skin and murmured, “Am I allowed to go deeper?” He teased Vegeta with just the tip.

“I need it…I need it like you’d fuck me. Please, my demon. I need it like you’d use your dick,” Vegeta groaned against the bed.

More lube dripped on his ass and Piccolo thrust the dildo in up to its base, in and out again, deeply and smoothly. His demon rasped, “I might be wanting to fuck you a little faster, a little harder, because I’d be so close to coming by this point.”

Vegeta’s hands gripped the sheets, he pushed back to meet Piccolo’s thrusts, and moaned, “Gods, yes, but I won’t…I won’t last, Piccolo.”

Piccolo palmed Vegeta’s ass and said, “No, you won’t, because I want you to come for me, Vegeta, come so I can watch that ass of yours squeeze and grip. Come for me now, my love.”

Vegeta roared as Piccolo pushed into him deeply and another orgasm ripped hard through his body. His muscles seized and when he finally spurted, it seemed endless, leaving him trembling.

Piccolo clung to his hips, and when Vegeta looked back at him, he had his head thrown back and was breathing in short, shallow gulps. Vegeta could see the strain in his abs from holding his hips still, not letting them thrust. His demon’s erection was squashed in his jeans, obviously trying to rip free.

Vegeta said, still shaking, “Piccolo? Are you…”

“Just trying not to come,” Piccolo said, his eyes tightly closed.

After a long moment, Piccolo’s fingers slipped around the base and he whispered, “Oh fuck, Vegeta, can I ease it out?”

Vegeta nodded into the sheets, utterly spent. He gasped, “Fuck, we’re not sleeping on these sheets tonight.”

“It’s not like we don’t regularly sleep in cum, Vegeta.”

“Are you seeing this puddle?”

Piccolo peeked around Vegeta and chuckled, but then he groaned with what sounded like agony as his erection pressed against Vegeta’s ass. He said, “Oh fuck, fuck, tell me to stop touching you.”

“What? I don’t—“

“Vegeta!”

“Stop it! Stop touching me!” Vegeta shouted and Piccolo hurled himself onto his back on the bed.

Vegeta crawled toward him, but Piccolo held up a hand to stop him. He said, breathing hard, “I’m sorry. You’ll have to do it yourself. I’m not sure I can even look at your face right now without coming.” Piccolo’s eyes were squeezed tightly shut and he held his nose with one hand.

Horror filled Vegeta and he said, “Do I stink?”

“Fuck, no, the opposite. You smell amazing and even that is effecting me. Stop talking to me. I need a minute. You’re too fucking sexy for all my senses.”

Vegeta backed away from his demon. He buried his face in the bed to muffle his noise as he extracted the dildo from his ass. He took a few deep shaky breaths, then started to clean up himself and everything else while Piccolo remained motionless on the bed.

Vegeta came out of the bathroom several silent minutes later and Piccolo was still prostrate, but he said, “Vegeta?”

“Yes?”

“I’m so sorry. That was a shitty way for me to end what we just did.”

“I’m fine. I understand. It just took me a minute to realize what was happening. Are you okay?”

“I will be. I think blue balls is not a strong enough description for what I have going on. Exploding balls, maybe. This hard-on is merciless.”

“I think you should just let me be abstinent with you for the next two weeks. I don’t want to do this to you again,” Vegeta said as Piccolo curled up to a sitting position, moving like he’d been beaten. Vegeta continued, “Should I keep my distance?”

“I think I’m okay now. The imminent climax has subsided. I don’t know what would happen if I got off now. This was like as edged as edging can possibly get.”

Vegeta crept near Piccolo hesitantly, then touched his bare back with just his fingertips. Vegeta had put on clothes to remove temptation. He said, “How are your insides aside from your poor balls? Thank you…for what we did. It felt so good to be with you, even if it wasn’t, you know, really with you. The last few days have been hard. Today was hard.”

“No shit.”

“I’m sorry he's here,” Vegeta said, and that, at least, was true. Talon’s presence was brutal; too painful to be as wonderful as it might have been under different circumstances.

“Maybe Bulma will cure him of you more effectively than she cured you of me.”

“Nothing can cure me of you,” Vegeta murmured against Piccolo’s shoulder, and that was true too. Vegeta’s heart felt torn and raw.

Piccolo got up awkwardly and slid his jeans off, releasing his pent-up hard-on. “Ah, fuck! That’s not as much better as I hoped.”

Vegeta stayed still, but said quietly, “I don’t know how to help you. Should I go away? Be an asshole, or, you know, a bigger asshole? What can I do?”

“Nothing. Well, don’t do anything sexy. Fuck. How am I still so tired? Maybe I'll just go to sleep. Can I just go to sleep? I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be fucking sorry, I just got off several times and made you miserable. _I’m_ sorry. And you just gave birth, sleep as long as you like. Do whatever you want.”

Bitter laughter burst out of Piccolo. “I wish I could. Because I would very much like to do you.”

Vegeta kissed his forehead between his antennae. “I wish you could do me too. Soon.” Vegeta covered Piccolo, who was asleep in seconds. Vegeta wanted to curl around his demon, but decided it would be better to let Piccolo sleep on his own, removing temptation for both of them.

Vegeta stepped quietly into the hall, needing to clear his head, maybe eat something. He could feel Bulma and Talon weren’t currently fucking. If they did, it would at least prevent Vegeta from running into either of them. He hurried toward the kitchen, but ground his teeth as he felt that haste was no longer necessary. He tried to block out Bulma’s chi rising the way it did when she got eaten out, and the more novel sensation of Talon’s chi climbing, maybe he was getting head too, or just enjoying licking his first pussy. It was strange and maddening and more upsetting then Vegeta anticipated to learn how Talon’s chi moved with his sexual pleasure, not while Vegeta fucked him, but while Vegeta’s ex fucked him. Vegeta wished he’d been able to feel that all the many times he and Talon had made love. Then he loathed himself for even having such a thought.

Vegeta’s appetite evaporated. He stopped by the nursery and checked on their eggs to console himself, pressing his hands carefully on their almost silky shells. After that, he made his way back to his room. He slunk into his nest in the closet, which he had never cleaned up in the whirlwind of his reunion with Piccolo and their mating. The safety and seclusion of the place he’d spent so many tearful nights released the band around his chest, and Vegeta sobbed into his pillow until he dozed off.


	3. Sacrifices in the Dark

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's not-sexy non-con in this chapter (the only non-con in the story). I'll put a wee summary of this chapter in front of the next so if you don't want to deal with it, you don't have to. The non-con is at the end of the chapter, so you can read most of it and it's pretty obvious when things start to go to shit if you want to just "fast-forward" after that.

Vegeta spent the next two weeks like a wraith in the compound. He took care of Piccolo, but part of that meant minimizing their physical contact. Which in turn meant that Vegeta had fewer places to hide from Talon. Luckily Talon was unable to suppress his chi, whereas Vegeta could become nearly invisible. Unfortunately, it didn’t take Talon long to figure out that Vegeta was almost always in the kitchen or the gravity room.

Whenever Talon came by the GR, Vegeta tried not to be overly friendly, because he felt like it encouraged Talon, but he also didn’t want to be so surly that he was rude. It broke Vegeta’s heart every time he interacted with Talon and that in turn made him feel traitorous to Piccolo, which also broke his heart. Vegeta felt wretched. He missed his mate. 

But he also hated himself because he wanted to spend time with Talon, so he made an even greater effort to minimize his interactions with Talon. Feeling Talon and Bulma go at it was draining Vegeta too, making his fragile sanity even more brittle. Bulma was lucky she couldn’t sense chi so she didn’t have to know every time he and Piccolo fucked. Vegeta’s soul, or whatever he had that passed for one, was bruised and flayed.

When Talon interrupted him yet again on the final day of Piccolo’s abstinence, Vegeta was unable to stifle his irritation. Talon wore another outfit Vegeta had given him. Vegeta practically whined, “What, Talon? I’m trying to train! What the hell do you want?”

Talon growled, “I can’t have what I want.”

“Seems you’ve been having plenty of one thing you want,” Vegeta snapped, and regretted revealing how unhappy that fact made him.

Talon’s eyes grew wide. “Did she…”

“No, of course not. I can feel it. Your chi skyrockets. Even hers goes up.”

Talon blushed. Talon was so fucking pretty, almost feminine, so unlike Piccolo’s aggressive, virile masculinity. Talon gave Vegeta a strange look and snorted. “I never feel yours go up. Has your mate gone frigid after giving birth?”

Vegeta’s fist sent Talon against the doors, though he was glad he’d restrained himself, so they held. Guilt wracked Vegeta: he’d only meant to knock Talon down. Hated the hurt look in Talon’s eyes. Talon wasn’t like Piccolo—he’d never trained with Vegeta, or experienced any of Vegeta’s violence in any way. But Vegeta was furious at Talon, and furious at himself that it had nothing to do Talon slandering Piccolo. Vegeta was insanely jealous: he hated Bulma fucking Talon. He hated Talon fucking Bulma. He didn’t like feeling the way he felt whenever Talon was near him.

Vegeta tried to recover and bit out, “Don’t say a word against my _mate_. He just gave birth, Talon. Don’t speak about him ever again. Have you figured out where you’re going? I’m growing weary of your continued presence, especially since you keep interrupting my training.”

“Training for what, Vegeta? You don’t have any more wars to fight,” Talon asked, his voice concerned, not condescending.

“I’ve never needed a reason to desire more strength. Now get out.”

“Maybe I could train with you, since you never do anything but train anymore. Do you even read or go out or anything?”

Vegeta cackled for a long time. “You can’t train with me, it would be pointless for me and dangerous for you.”

Talon’s swiped at his bloodied nose and said, “Fuck you! This was a cheap shot! You’re not that much stronger than me! I’ve gotten stronger in our time apart.”

Vegeta’s almost maniacal laughter rose as he unfurled his chi, which he kept constantly suppressed, even when training. He let it rise, knowing he wouldn't even need to go super-Saiyan to make Talon understand. But he did go super-Saiyan and Talon’s face fell apart with shock. He wanted Talon to understand what he had become, that yet another part of him was not the same anymore. Vegeta needed Talon to fall out of love with him. Talon’s love made Vegeta’s own harder to deny.

Talon’s jaw dropped before Vegeta was anywhere close to powered up. He stammered, “You’re…you’re even more powerful than your mate…even than the other Saiyan. H…how?”

“Training. And this isn’t even my full power,” Vegeta said.

“But what…you look…what’s happened to you?”

“This is what a super-Saiyan looks like. And I have another transformation beyond this, though I've plateaued recently. Now do you see? It would be pointless for us to train.”

“Gods, you were stronger than me before, but now…” Talon was breathing hard. Vegeta realized with horror that his attempt to scare Talon had only turned the smaller Namek on. Vegeta could see his hard-on.

“Fuck, Talon, get ahold of yourself. You’re fucking Bulma!” Vegeta said, but he was desperate for Talon to leave. Desperate not to see what he still did to Talon.

“That doesn’t mean I don’t still want to fuck you,” Talon said, raising an eyebrow, and he gave Vegeta his lopsided smile.

Vegeta was hard-pressed not to groan, so he shouted, “You need to leave. My training room at the very least, but preferably the planet. I can’t stand it anymore!”

“Can’t stand what?” Talon asked, again looking truly concerned.

“You making me feel shitty all the time! I felt shitty enough about it when you weren’t here reminding me how badly I hurt you! How I fucked up. What we had! Please, Talon, please! Just fucking go!”

“I don’t want to go. I like it here. I like _her,_ ” Talon countered.

“Then get the fuck out of my training room!” Vegeta roared and his chi soared, but Vegeta saw that his anger had done nothing to diminish Talon’s erection. Talon left the gravity room, but cast his smile back over his shoulder at Vegeta. Vegeta groaned, “Shit,” when he sensed Piccolo on his way toward Vegeta, where he would likely encounter Talon. Who had a hard-on. And had just been with Vegeta.

The doors of the GR flew off their hinges and Vegeta batted one away as it almost took him out. Talon was laid out on the grass fifty meters outside the GR, obviously unconscious.

Piccolo roared, pointing at Talon, “What the _fuck_ is that about?!”

Vegeta sighed wearily and said, “I can’t help that he got a hard-on. I was trying to scare him away and he got…excited.”

“Why the fuck was he here at all, Vegeta? Why was he anywhere near you?” Piccolo shocked Vegeta as he burst into tears.

Piccolo’s recovery had been hard for his demon. They hardly touched at all and Piccolo couldn’t even masturbate to take the edge off. And it meant they weren’t spending much time together, not even training, since Piccolo wasn’t allowed to train either. All of it meant Piccolo was a mess. 

“Piccolo…” Vegeta said and took his demon behind the thighs and hiked his large frame onto Vegeta’s hips. “He just came by. I was was making him leave and he…well, you saw… Nothing happened. He wanted to train with me and I laughed at him and powered up to show him the futility of that. Apparently it had a different effect.”

Piccolo buried his face in Vegeta’s neck and clung to him. “Maybe your fucking training attire effected him. You need to start wearing a gi or baggy sweats or something until he leaves. Your fucking little, tiny shorts. You can see everything. You look so fucking sexy. Fuck.”

Vegeta said against Piccolo’s ear, “Piccolo, he can get a boner for me all day, every day and I’m not going to do a fucking thing about it. Your hard-ons are the only ones I care about. I don’t care if he gets hard for me.”

“But I care!” Piccolo hissed.

“Would you care if we were fucking? I think you’re just feeling insecure because we haven’t been able to fuck.”

Piccolo sobbed harder. Vegeta squeezed him and nuzzled his face up to kiss. He whispered, “Tomorrow, right? I know it sucks. But now that Bulma’s fucking him, I can’t just send him packing. He’s hers now.”

Piccolo gave a watery laugh. “I swear that woman thrives on fucking men who are in love with other men.”

“Maybe she’ll actually help him move on.”

“But what if that means he stays?” Piccolo whined.

“Then we can go. We can go now if it bothers you. I don’t want you to be miserable because of him.”

“I’m miserable because I’m afraid he’ll steal you away from me.”

Vegeta gave Piccolo a withering look, his nostrils flaring. Vegeta’s feelings for Talon had been upsetting, but his love for Piccolo was deep, as was his commitment to his mate. “My demon, please. Have a little faith in me. Even if you never fuck me again, I _love_ you. Of course I love fucking you too, but that’s just a bonus, it’s not the core of my love.”

Piccolo growled and bonked his head back down onto Vegeta’s shoulder. “The past two weeks have been exhausting even though I’ve been sleeping all day. I feel tired all the time.”

“I’m sure that will abate once our babies hatch,” Vegeta said, barely keeping a straight face.

Piccolo finally laughed a real laugh, then guffawed as Vegeta got hard for his laugh. He touched Vegeta’s face and kissed him lightly. “Fuck, Vegeta, I need to get laid.”

“Can Dende check you today? Maybe your body is ready.”

Piccolo laughed more. “You are being solicitous if you’re allowing Dende to look in my _theadur_ without medical necessity.”

Vegeta kissed Piccolo’s tears away and said, “I think you getting laid is a medical necessity at this point.” To his annoyance, he saw Talon get up, shaking his head as he began stalking back toward the GR. The foolish Namek was powering up, forming an energy ball in each hand. Vegeta set Piccolo down and said, “Talk to Dende. I have some business to attend to.”

Piccolo turned and glared at Talon. He ripped Vegeta’s tank top off, pointed at Vegeta’s mark, and barked, “See this! He’s mine! Fuck off!”

Vegeta kissed Piccolo. “Go on. I’ll handle this. No murdering Bulma’s lovers.”

Talon’s chi had grown more than Vegeta anticipated. Vegeta still dropped his ex with one small blow. Talon roared with frustration, “I hate this! I fucking hate it!”

“Then go! Or stay away from me!”

“Why did he hit me? Why did you hit me? I didn’t do anything!” he complained, getting to his feet.

“Talon—honestly—he saw. Anyone can see.”

Talon blushed. “I can’t help it!”

“Try. You can’t stay hot for me and stay here. It’s not sustainable. You being here at all is unbearable, but especially if you’re a walking, Saiyan-induced hard-on.”

Piccolo pulled Vegeta roughly against him, kissed his mouth with fierce possession, and mentally growled, _You’re mine_.

_And you’re mine_ , Vegeta said back, hoping desperately that Dende would give them the all clear. His demon needed him. He needed his demon. He needed his demon to fuck Vegeta’s lingering feelings for Talon right out of him.

“Do you have to do that in front of me?” Talon hissed.

“I’ll do more than that in front of you if you don’t stop coming on to my mate!” Piccolo said, fangs out.

Talon’s fangs were out now too and Vegeta noticed with growing disbelief that something else was growing too. An unfortunately vivid fantasy flitted through Vegeta’s mind and he briefly wondered if he could somehow convince Piccolo and Talon to get along. But Vegeta would never dare suggest such a thing to Piccolo. Vegeta said, “Talon, for fuck’s sake! I will wreck you if you start coming on to Piccolo! He has shown restraint out of deference to me and my history with you. _I_ will show no _mercy_. Piccolo is _mine_.”

Piccolo looked perplexed, then glanced down. His eyes widened and he smirked. "Maybe you should go to New Namek and get your own taste of _theadur_.”

Talon lunged for Piccolo, but Vegeta grabbed him, held him high in the air by the front of his shirt, and Vegeta’s treacherous mind spewed forth a memory of when he had given the shirt to Talon, fucked Talon senseless wearing the shirt. He growled, “Never again, Talon. Never try for him again. My pity, my mercy, they have run out. Do you understand me?”

Talon hung in recalcitrant silence. Vegeta pulled his other hand back, winding up to hit Talon again. His ex finally muttered, “Fine. I understand.” The sadness in Talon’s eyes made Vegeta want to weep.

Bulma came storming across the lawn and shrieked, “Sweet Kami, Vegeta! Put him down right now! Right this fucking second! Or I will kick your ass!”

Vegeta growled low in his throat and hurled Talon to the ground. “Don’t push me, Talon. Not on this. Leave him alone or I’ll end you.” The twisted combination of love and anger and jealousy and irritation and protectiveness (made even more confusing since he felt it for Piccolo, Talon, and even Bulma) was making Vegeta consider self-destructing rather than trying to continue balancing his precarious sanity.

Talon sneered at Piccolo and said, “Good thing you have him to protect you from little ol’ me.”

Vegeta risked Bulma’s wrath and punched Talon again, not hard enough to knock him out, but hard enough that he would think twice before he insulted Vegeta’s mate again. “Shut the fuck up, Talon.”

“Vegeta! You jerk! Leave him alone!” Bulma screamed.

“He came at Piccolo, woman!”

“For fuck’s sake, Vegeta, look at Piccolo! It’s like a chihuahua attacking a Great Dane.”

All three men stared in confusion. Bulma rolled her eyes and said, “It’s like Krillin attacking Frieza.”

Then they all understood. Talon said, “Hey!”

“Oh come off it, Talon. What do you think would happen if Vegeta let you rumble with Piccolo? Vegeta is being very gentle with you. Having seen Piccolo in a foul temper, I can guarantee he would not show the same restraint. Now what started your playground scuffle this time?”

Piccolo moved to speak, but Vegeta shot him a look and said, _Shut your mouth_.

“He came at Piccolo because Piccolo made an inappropriate comment. I saved his life by giving him a little education,” Vegeta said and looked pointedly at Talon. “He’s your guest now, woman. I wash my hands of him. If you want him to leave and he won’t, let me know and I’ll get rid of him, one way or another.”

“Not necessary, Vegeta. Now leave him alone, you two bullies. C’mon, Talon,” she said and took Talon’s hand.

Talon followed her, but cast an inscrutable glance back at Piccolo. Piccolo turned to Vegeta once they were gone and hissed, “Why did you cover for him? She should know that he’s still got it bad for you—and maybe me!”

“Piccolo, I’ve made her suffer enough. Let her enjoy him without feeling like yet another man is fucking her while thinking about someone else. Bulma doesn’t deserve to have her heart broken again.”

“She’s probably thinking about you too. They probably fantasize about you together,” Piccolo grumbled.

“Seems like he and I might both be fantasizing about you, my demon,” Vegeta said playfully, but saw immediately that it had been a mistake to make the joke. He held up his hands. “Not together, for fuck’s sake! But you did see that he got rather excited about you?”

Piccolo narrowed his eyes. “I did, but I wish you were looking at his dick less.”

“Fucking gods, Piccolo, go see Dende. You’re driving me crazy with your irrational jealousy and I think you just need to get fucked.”

“He’s your first love, Vegeta, it’s not irrational. First loves are dangerous. I see how you watch him. Don’t think I haven’t. I see how your eyes follow him. What flashes in them. I’m not stupid, Vegeta.”

Vegeta yanked Piccolo down hard by his shirt front and kissed him. “You are my love _now_. Stop being paranoid and go find out if I can fuck you.” Piccolo said nothing, but took off toward the Lookout, his eyes dark with anger.

Vegeta wanted to return to training, but he couldn’t fix the doors to the GR and he didn't have the stomach to ask Bulma just then, even though it didn’t feel like Talon was making use of his hard-on. Vegeta hated the confusing surge of emotions he had about Talon and Bulma. When it seemed like a drunken rebound for both of them, it had been…tolerable. But it looked to be morphing into a real relationship. Vegeta found it much more upsetting than he could ever admit to anyone. He was jealous of both Talon and Bulma, which made it even more maddening. He growled at his own accursed heart. He needed to fight. To kick ass and have his kicked in turn. He searched out 18’s chi, hoping she’d be in the mood to spar so he could relieve some of his pent-up desire to rage.

Vegeta found her and Krillin at Kame house. She agreed to spar, but Krillin said, “Where’s Piccolo? Gohan said you two were back to training together.”

Vegeta said, “He’s still recovering after giving birth. He should be back up to speed in a few days.”

Krillin’s eyebrows shot up. “Giving birth? I thought Piccolo was a…a…dude?”

Vegeta rolled his eyes. “He’s both. All Nameks are hermaphrodites.”

18 said, “Does that mean you two are back together?”

Krillin’s jaw dropped in shock. Vegeta was equally astonished that 18 had known they were together, and that the small Earthling _hadn’t_ known. 18 hadn’t known them when they were together, whereas the Earthling had, and Vegeta and Piccolo had never been subtle.

Vegeta said, “Yes. Several weeks ago he regained his memories after merging with Kami-Sama. How did you know we’d been together before? We’re mated now.”

18 shrugged and said, “I just assumed after I saw the way you looked at him during the Cell Games. You looked destroyed. Nobody looks like that unless they were in deep with another person. Not to mention your suicidal choices when fighting Cell. I was surprised you didn’t self-destruct.”

“I considered it, but realized it would do no good. It would only instill more fear and despair in the others.”

“Surprisingly introspective for you, Vegeta. Where’d you put your idiotic arrogance?”

“I keep it in my closet now,” he answered with a smirk.

Krillin stuttered, “M…m…mated? Like, _you’re_ the father of Piccolo’s baby?”

“Babies. Plural. Twins,” Vegeta said proudly.

“But…you? You’re the father?” Krillin repeated.

“Well he’s my husband, so they better fucking be mine!” Vegeta snapped.

“Husband?! Jeez, Vegeta, I didn’t see you for the…uh…gay…type. I mean, with Bulma and everything,” Krillin said.

Vegeta rolled his eyes again and said, “You’re married to a fucking android and you’re questioning my sexuality? You Earthlings are so bizarre with your fucking categories for everything. I love him, we mated or wed or whatever you call it on this rock. Now can we please fucking fight?”

18 rose up in the air and said blithely, “Well, congrats, Vegeta. You seem…better…than you did the last time I kicked your ass.”

He chuckled and they began. Vegeta hadn’t forgotten how fierce she’d been, but he had been training significantly more, so he hadn’t expected her to hold her own as much as she did. They were well matched, and Krillin darted in periodically for sport. Vegeta laughed at him, but the Earthling managed to damage Vegeta a couple times. Vegeta never struck back at Krillin. He had a new appreciation for the rage someone attacking one’s mate could cause and he didn’t want 18 to completely fuck him up. She was doing an admirable job without Vegeta inciting her by hitting her mate.

Near sunset 18 called it and said, “You and Piccolo should bring the babies by sometime. They could play with Marron.”

Vegeta’s eyebrows shot up in time with Krillin’s. He said, “Yes, once they’ve hatched, I’m sure that would be beneficial.”

Krillin croaked, “Hatched? He laid eggs? He laid eggs that you fertilized…as his husband? You’re blowing my mind today, Vegeta.”

18 kissed Krillin’s cheek and said, “Try to _seem_ less naïve, love.”

Krillin blushed and looked at 18 with adoration. Vegeta thanked 18 and bid them farewell. He flew home fast, hoping for an end to his demon’s suffering; and his own. He hoped fucking his demon again would obliterate his exhumed feelings for Talon.

When he searched out Piccolo’s chi, he felt it with Bulma’s, but not Talon’s, which struck Vegeta as very odd. And his mate’s chi felt strange. Bulma’s too. Vegeta suppressed his own to almost nothing and walked quietly into the compound, standing outside the dining room where they were conversing. He waited, listening.

“Bulma, come on, seriously? No. We’re not doing that. Nope. Just nope.”

“You were fine doing it with _me_ a few weeks ago. So hot. Come on. You know it would be. If you’d do it with me, why not this way?”

“That was different!” Piccolo shouted, his voice strange and mushy.

“Why?” Bulma said, giggling.

“Because…I’m not…this sounds mean, but it’s not…I don’t think you could take him from me. Because I trust you. I wouldn’t worry you’d be trying to snipe him,” Piccolo said.

“We’d all be together, nothing sneaky! No sniping possible!”

“No, Bulma!”

“Come on, please? Please, Piccolo? Just once? I’ve never done it and…gods…with you three. Oh man, I just know it would be amazing! You do too!”

“Well…yeah…But you might die. Can you imagine the energy zinging around?”

“Vegeta has never hurt me. And I’m sure he’s never hurt you. And Talon said Vegeta never hurt him physically when they were lovers,” Bulma said.

“Stop saying that!” Piccolo barked, and Vegeta tried to identify what was different about his voice. About his chi. Maybe it was just exhaustion. Maybe it was the clearly fraught discussion he was having with Bulma.

Bulma snorted. “What? That Talon and Vegeta were lovers? That they _fucked_ so much. That Talon had Vegeta’s dick deep inside him? That Vegeta _loved_ fucking him?” Bulma crooned.

“Knock it off, Bulma! I will fucking wreck you!” Piccolo snapped. Vegeta felt the rippling waves of angry chi rolling off Piccolo.

“Ha! For such a big baddy, you have remarkably thin skin, Piccolo. Vegeta cared for him. And you know they have chemistry. I can feel it, so I’m sure you can. Wouldn’t it be better to…vent…it out in the open? What might happen if you just let it fester under the surface?” she said.

“Don’t push me. You’re not helping your case. I hate that they had…what they had,” Piccolo said, and now his voice sounded soggy, like he was almost in tears.

“Then tell me you’ll think about it, at least? He’d do it for you. He’d do anything for you. Then it’d be over.”

Vegeta chose that moment to join the conversation. He stepped into the room. “What the fuck are you two scheming about?”

“Jeez, Vegeta, looks like somebody got a piece of you,” Bulma said, tittering. Vegeta was unused to Bulma tittering. It was unsettling. Piccolo chuckled too, and they both looked…slumpy. Bleary. Giggly.

Vegeta said warily, “Incidentally, the gravity room needs repairing. The door got fucked by Talon’s nonsense today.”

“Pffft…Talon couldn’t break those doors if he tried,” she said, flapping her hand. Then she cast a sidelong glance at Piccolo. “But I’ll fix it tomorrow.”

“What were you two talking about?”

Piccolo rocketed up awkwardly and pushed Vegeta toward the door. He growled, “Nothing. Let’s go. You need a shower. And maybe medical attention. Seriously, who fucked you up? Who _can_ fuck you up now that Goku’s not around and Gohan’s busy studying?”

“18. I didn’t think she’d had that good of a day. Stop trying to redirect. What were you talking about?” Vegeta said, resisting Piccolo’s increasingly aggressive shoving.

Bulma sighed and said wistfully, “It doesn’t matter since Piccolo vetoed anyway, the big party pooper.”

“Vetoed what?”

Piccolo glared at Bulma and shoved Vegeta hard enough that it was starting to piss Vegeta off. Vegeta looked at him, but Piccolo didn’t even notice. Bulma said, “A foursome. The four of us. Just for fucking. Just once.”

Vegeta’s eyebrows shot up. The admission startled him so much that Piccolo shoved him down. He looked up at Piccolo as he got back to his feet. Piccolo’s face was unreadable, but Vegeta looked down and saw his demon was well past half-mast, practically fully erect. Vegeta wasn’t sure he should even contemplate such a thing, but Piccolo seemed excited about it, so Vegeta decided being noncommittal was the best course. He said, “Oh.”

Piccolo eyes went wide and waves of enraged chi buffeted Vegeta. Piccolo hissed, “Oh? Fucking ‘oh?’” He clutched Vegeta’s arm in a sharp-clawed grip.

Vegeta stepped away from him. “What? What do you want me to say? You vetoed, so—“

“I want you to say, ‘hell no!’” Piccolo roared.

“You—you—three weeks ago you wanted to watch while I fucked Bulma! You wanted to have a threesome! I don’t care! It’s up to you!” Vegeta said, trying to loose his arm without hurting Piccolo.

Piccolo glowered and stormed back toward their quarters, dragging Vegeta along. He muttered, “Fucking ‘oh,’ Lord of Lords, the fuck…Fuck me.”

Bulma called, “Think about it, Piccolo!”

Once they were in their room, Vegeta said, “Piccolo, what—“

Piccolo slammed Vegeta hard against the wall, making Vegeta wince and understand the extent of his injuries from 18. Piccolo kissed him roughly, desperately. He yanked Vegeta’s shorts off, kissing and biting down his neck. Vegeta’s whole body hurt, so it wasn’t exactly pleasant. It certainly didn’t feel loving. Or even like lust. Piccolo stroked Vegeta’s prick aggressively, almost painfully. When his hand darted between Vegeta’s legs, Vegeta panicked. He seized Piccolo’s forearm and growled, “No!”

Piccolo pulled back, his eyes wide and hurt. “What?” his demon’s lip actually quivered.

“You’re going to hurt me. You can’t finger me dry ever, Piccolo, but especially not when you’re mad. I don’t even understand why you’re mad! But you’re scaring me,” Vegeta said, and worried that Piccolo looked more angry, not like he’d remembered himself as he had in the past when they’d had moments like this.

Piccolo knocked Vegeta roughly onto the floor and kissed him more, but he kept his hands away from Vegeta’s ass. Vegeta gasped in between furious, angsty kisses, “What did Dende say?”

“Do you even care?” Piccolo snarled.

Vegeta froze, his legs snapping together tightly. He took Piccolo’s face in his hands, tried to look in his eyes, and said, “Piccolo? Where is this coming from? Of course I care. I don’t want the foursome, but it was a weird conversation to come into blind. Please talk to me.”

Piccolo sighed and collapsed onto Vegeta, sobbing for the second time that day. Vegeta held him, rubbed his broad back, and kissed his neck and face. “Oh, my demon, my love, you’ve had so much these past few weeks. Too much. Let it out,” Vegeta’s heart ached at his mate’s suffering. He stood and lifted Piccolo onto the bed, longing even to lie with Piccolo after two weeks of sleeping in the closet. Piccolo said nothing, but heaved out more sobs. After a few minutes he calmed down.

Vegeta chose neutral ground to ease back into talking, “Did you see how much the eggs are glowing today? And their chi! It’s grown so much.”

Piccolo nodded against Vegeta’s chest and said in a choked voice, “They’re so beautiful. Dende said it will probably be fourteen weeks, judging by where their development is today. I’m glad I have a couple extra weeks to pull myself together.”

“You’re going to be an amazing father, Piccolo. You’ve just had a shitty few weeks.”

“Just two.”

“Giving birth was terrible for you, Piccolo, and so was pregnancy. It’s okay to acknowledge that.”

Piccolo buried his face in Vegeta’s chest. “Why am I such a pussy?”

Vegeta turned Piccolo’s face up to his. “You are not a pussy. That’s complete bullshit. They are huge and your _theadur_ was a stubborn bastard about opening up. Dende said any other Namek would have died in labor with twins, especially that size, and you survived and had an eight-pack by dinner. It was terrible, exhausting, and debilitating for me and I didn’t even do anything but stay awake. So don’t say that again. You’re not a pussy. Where is this coming from? That fucker better not be talking shit to you!”

“No, but you want to fuck him,” Piccolo said, sneering. Piccolo never sneered at Vegeta. It felt like being gut-punched. Piccolo’s eyes were cold and…bleary.

Vegeta said, choking back his own tears at how harsh Piccolo was being, “I want to fuck you, Piccolo. In whatever configuration makes you happy. Satisfies you. You are all I ever need or want. I’d do anything for you.”

“‘Oh,’” Piccolo said again, glaring at Vegeta. 

“Piccolo, come on. I didn’t know what you wanted. You were hard! I didn’t want to commit until I knew where you stood. Like I said, I’d do anything for you. Even that,” Vegeta said, but he felt Piccolo was being unfair to him.

Piccolo bit out, “If that fucker wouldn’t be so smug about it.”

“What? Did _he_ proposition you?” Vegeta said.

“No. I just know he’d be smug.”

“Okay.”

“Godsdamnit, Vegeta, why won’t you just say, ‘no!’”

“No!”

“Vegeta!”

“I want you, Piccolo. Nobody else.”

“Say you _don’t_ want him.”

“I don’t!”

“Why are you being cagey about the foursome!”

“I’m not! Look, I just…The past few weeks have been hard for me too. It’s hard for me to have him here. I feel shitty all the time. And I’m scared too, Piccolo! I suck at parenting. I hope it’ll be different since I did it intentionally this time, but that makes me feel shitty too. And I know you hate to hear it, but I’d been with Bulma for months after you fucking _left_ me. I dropped her just on the hope you’d come back to me, but I still care for her, Piccolo. I can’t just turn it off. I chose you, but…but…it still fucking sucks to have her fuck Talon. I deserve it, obviously, and I’m glad it helps her feel better about the fact that I dropped her for you, but it still…I don’t know…She was special to me and it sucks. It sucks that it’s him of all fucking people in the universe. It feels karmic.”

Vegeta took a shaky breath and continued, despite the anger radiating off Piccolo. “And I feel shitty for feeling anything because I feel like I’m betraying you. So I feel shitty about that. Then I feel shitty for being scared of you, but I am. I’m scared when you get like this. You really hurt me before. And you hurt me on our trip without any provocation.” Vegeta tried to control his breathing, but it was his turn to sob. He staggered into the bathroom and turned on the shower.

He stepped in and Piccolo followed, putting his arms on either side of Vegeta, trapping him against the wall. Piccolo said, his voice rough and raw, “How can you be scared of me? You’re so much stronger than I am.”

“ _That’s_ what you have to say?” Vegeta gave a bitter laugh and shook his head. “I don’t _want_ to hurt you, and I’d have to hurt you to protect myself when you’re in a fucking mood. But I also just don’t want to be scared while fucking just because you’re a little mad at me!”

Piccolo softened, bumped their foreheads together, but he kept Vegeta penned in with his long arms. He stooped and kissed Vegeta, his lips pleading and soft. “Okay. Okay. Fuck, Vegeta,” then he clung to Vegeta.

18 had fucked Vegeta up more than he realized during their fight. His whole body hurt and now he saw that he had black bruises all over, several deep, long gashes, and a few broken ribs. Piccolo whispered, “Please don’t leave me.”

“I’m never going to fucking leave you. You’re my everything, Piccolo,” Vegeta said, wishing he sounded loving, but he was exasperated. Tired. Sore. Heartbroken.

“You’re mine too, Vegeta. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I’m going to do better,” Piccolo whispered and slid his hand over Vegeta’s hip, his fingers moving into his cleft. Vegeta tightened every muscle in his ass to keep Piccolo’s fingers well clear of his asshole.

“Piccolo, it’s fine. We’ll be fine. I just can’t do it. I can’t, not when you’re like this. I’m too nervous and tense, and then it’s impossible to do without pain.”

“Please…Can I fix this, Vegeta?” Piccolo’s eyes were glassy, but Vegeta’s ass was tighter than a dropped noose, even if he wanted to let Piccolo touch him, it would never work. But he didn’t want it.

“Did you even go see Dende? Or did you just plot with Bulma to find a way to get pissed off at me?”

Piccolo glared, but said nothing. He moved Vegeta under the spray and shampooed him. He soaped Vegeta’s battered body, Vegeta flinching and tensing when he reached between Vegeta’s legs, but Piccolo said nothing, just cleaned him up. After he’d silently washed Vegeta, he swept him up in his arms and blasted them dry. He carried Vegeta to the bed and laid him down on his back.

Piccolo kissed him. He searched Vegeta’s mouth with his own, holding Vegeta’s jaw in his hand. He caressed Vegeta’s upper body, then stroked his cheek, before sliding his fingers into Vegeta’s hair. Now his lips were fucking Vegeta’s, and Vegeta was panting. Vegeta thought he might die if he couldn’t bring Piccolo to climax tonight.

“Piccolo…” he gasped, “What…” Piccolo kissed him as if to shut him up. His hand wandered back down onto Vegeta’s body, gliding lightly over his skin, circling his nipples. 

He didn’t free Vegeta’s mouth for a long time. Once Vegeta was writhing on the bed, Piccolo murmured, “Fuck, Vegeta, I missed you so much. I missed you. I missed touching you. Gods, I love you.”

“I missed you, too,” Vegeta said and let his hands run over Piccolo’s body. Piccolo breathed hard, gasping. Vegeta whispered, “I missed kissing you, my demon. I wanted to kiss you and touch you and lay with you, sleep in your arms, but I didn’t want to torture you. Fuck, Piccolo, just having your mouth on mine again feels like breathing after being underwater for days.”

“Fuck. Vegeta, I can’t…”

“What? Did Dende say no?” Vegeta stopped abruptly.

“No. He said I’m good. I’m cleared. I don’t want you to be scared,” Piccolo said and scrubbed his hand over his face.

“Then don’t fucking hurt me.”

“I won’t!”

“Really? Because your rage is still fucking palpable, Piccolo. It’s radiating off you like a smell,” Vegeta hissed.

Piccolo snarled, “I hate him. I fucking hate the way you look at him, Vegeta.”

“Then don’t fuck me. I’ll suck you off, or fuck you, or put whatever you want in your ass or _theadur_ , but you’re not fucking me,” Vegeta growled.

“I’ll be good, Vegeta. I need it. I need it so badly,” he gasped against Vegeta’s chest, biting his pec softly.

“No. This is always how you feel when you fuck me up. I think _that’s_ what you need. You need to _hurt_ me and you just won’t fucking admit it so we can deal with it.”

Piccolo’s face darkened and he gave Vegeta a sneering smile. He pinned Vegeta down and said, “Not willing to do _anything_ for me, then, are you?”

Vegeta’s eyes burned and his stomach roiled. He broke free and flipped onto his belly. He choked out, “That’s what you want? That’s what you’re asking? Then at least be honest. Fucking do what you need to do!” He bent until his ass was in the air and hid his face the crook of his elbow, tried to stifle his devastated tears.

Piccolo rolled him back over and pulled him against his broad green chest. He kissed all over Vegeta’s face and neck, ended kissing Vegeta’s mouth. “No,” he whispered, “I don’t want that, Vegeta. I don’t. I’m sorry. I love you so much.”

Vegeta rolled back onto his stomach, nauseous with his own self-loathing. “Just do it, I can’t stand waiting for you to do it. Just fucking get it over with. I know you’ll do it anyway.”

“No, my love. No. Come here. That isn’t what I want. I want to love you.”

Vegeta shook his head. “Just fucking do what you’re going to do.”

He laid beside Vegeta, turned his chin until he could kiss him, then his lips tried to draw Vegeta out again, made love to his mouth. When Piccolo sat up and pulled Vegeta astride his lap, making the smaller man flinch, he murmured, “Fuck, Vegeta, what have I done to you?”

Vegeta couldn’t speak. He felt torn asunder at having such love overlaid by such fear and the unresolved grief of their time apart. He had been shoving it into some hidden cavern, but now he was too weak to keep it down and it floated up like a rotting corpse. It intensified his fear, made him willing to endure anything out of his other fear—that Piccolo would leave him again.

His humiliation trebled as Piccolo laid him on his back, revealing his flaccid cock. Piccolo took it in his hand. Piccolo patiently stroked Vegeta until he was groaning, then without a word, straddled Vegeta and slid him deep inside his _theadur_. “Ah! My demon!” Vegeta gasped in surprise. “Oh gods, Piccolo, oh gods, my demon. My mate.” He thrust hard up into Piccolo, growing harder every time.

Piccolo threw his head back, gripping Vegeta’s pecs, leaving long gashes where he dragged his claws down the muscles, making Vegeta’s broken ribs throb. Piccolo surged up and down on Vegeta and rasped, “Fucking gods, Vegeta, I love you. I love you inside me. Please, oh fuck, please…”

Vegeta curled up and kissed Piccolo, held his glowing face. “I’m so sorry, Piccolo. I’m so sorry for everything. I love you.”

“No, my love. Don’t. Just fuck me, Vegeta. Shit…oh shit…I can’t last. I needed you too badly…can you…can you come with me? Come inside me?” Piccolo’s eyes were frantic, his words still sticking together oddly.

“Yes, oh yes, together, my demon!” Vegeta wailed and fell back so he could push his hips up harder. His whole body cramped tightly with the explosive orgasm. Piccolo’s skin brightened and his sheath gripped Vegeta’s cock and squeezed him so perfectly that he cried out again, “My demon, fuck, I would die without you. I need you so badly.”

Piccolo’s _theadur_ seized him more and at his words, Piccolo’s dick spurted. And spurted. And when Vegeta thrust more deeply, his demon spurted a third time. He groaned Vegeta’s name with each thrust, then came again until he could barely breathe, and slammed down on Vegeta, releasing another huge burst of semen. He wailed, curled over, took his own dick in his hand, and released more as he bent down to kiss Vegeta.

Piccolo stroked himself furiously, until Vegeta shoved his hand out of the way and took over twisting on Piccolo’s miraculously hard cock. He pumped more into Piccolo’s velvet tunnel, hard again just from seeing Piccolo come so much. He used his other hand to pin Piccolo’s hips down so he could plunge completely inside his demon. Their mouths met and they were feral in their kissing. Biting and nipping as their tongues fought, and they sucked at each other.

“Piccolo, gods, your fucking _theadur_ , fuck me hard, my demon. Fuck me so hard.”

And Piccolo did. He raged on Vegeta, pounding down onto him. Vegeta had never been fucked like that as the penetrator and it turned him on so much he was screaming Piccolo’s name. His skin glowed as brightly as Piccolo’s.

Piccolo commanded, “Come in me, Vegeta! Come inside me, now!”

Vegeta came with a pained groan and growled, “Fuck, Piccolo, grip me, please! Come on my dick!”

His sheath trembled and clenched and Piccolo threw his head back with a roar of pleasure, dropping hard onto Vegeta a few more times as his cock also erupted a final time. Vegeta’s whole torso was slicked with his demon’s cum. Vegeta hoped that maybe fucking Vegeta hard enough to hurt him that way had relieved some of Piccolo’s rage so he wouldn’t feel the need to hurt Vegeta any other way.

Piccolo took Vegeta’s mouth with the same ferocity he’d been fucking him. Vegeta gasped for breath. His body ached. Breathing hurt from his broken ribs, which were worse after Piccolo’s aggression. Piccolo kissed him more, harder, and dismounted, shoving Vegeta’s legs up alongside his body. 

Vegeta whimpered, “No, I’m spent, Piccolo. I’m done. Please—“

Piccolo plunged his face between Vegeta’s legs, licking him so forcefully that Vegeta cried out, “Ah! Too much, Piccolo, I’m done—“

Piccolo said, “Just let me. I won’t hurt you. I won’t. Let me. Please, Vegeta. Let me.”

Vegeta trembled as Piccolo thrust his tongue roughly over his knot. He was so tense. And he was so tired, so weak. He tried to close his legs, but Piccolo pinned them wide open. Vegeta said, “No, stop, Piccolo, I’m—“

“Vegeta, let me love you.” Vegeta started to sob again, his legs trying to snap shut, but they were too weak after the intensity of everything that had happened with Piccolo, and so sore and broken from 18. Piccolo held them down, “I’m not going to hurt you. Let me try.”

Vegeta cried, “You’re still so mad. You still hate me.”

Piccolo held Vegeta’s face and kissed him. Piccolo’s chi was stranger than ever and making Vegeta even more nervous. Piccolo kissed him more, and so passionately, but Vegeta hurt. He wanted to rest. Piccolo said, his words sloppy and tangled, “I’m going to fuck you, Vegeta, but I’m going to do it properly. I’m going to fuck your ass so sweetly you beg me to keep going.”

Vegeta choked out, “I know I said I’d do anything, and I know I said you could tear me up if that was what you needed, but please, please don’t! I can’t handle it. Please, don’t…” Vegeta tried not to fall apart, but he was blubbering.

Piccolo pushed him back again, his tongue on Vegeta’s ass. Fear made Vegeta wildly sensitive, even the lightest touch electric, nearly painful. Piccolo swirled his tongue and Vegeta relaxed as best he could, relenting to the pressure of his hot exploration. Then he heard Piccolo rummaging for lube. Vegeta immediately tensed up again, but Piccolo’s fingers were only on him, not in him. 

Once Vegeta was writhing, but still so tired, so sore, so tense Piccolo whispered, “Can I slip a finger inside you? Fuck, I keep thinking about how you fucked yourself with that dildo. I haven’t gotten to come since then, and that’s what I want…That’s what I need.”

Vegeta looked at him, confused, and said, “What? You just came, I—“ Vegeta cried out in pain as Piccolo suddenly stabbed his finger inside Vegeta. He was relieved that it hadn’t torn him, just discomfort, but it upset him and he cried out, “Piccolo, please stop! It hurts—“ But Piccolo jammed in a second finger, then without pause pushed a third inside Vegeta. Vegeta yelped and cried, turning away from Piccolo to hide his face. As Piccolo started thrusting roughly, Vegeta whimpered and sobbed, ashamed of himself, humiliated, as he begged Piccolo to stop. But Piccolo seemed not to notice or care that he’d hurt Vegeta.

“Not good?” Piccolo said as he moved his hand harder and faster, “Here, my love, here, I know you don’t like three,” and he forced himself inside Vegeta.

Vegeta screamed. The tearing, burning pain was agony, but the mental anguish was worse. Piccolo ripped into Vegeta again and again, no matter how Vegeta begged and protested. Piccolo pumped his hips hard and fast until he came, shredding Vegeta even more, but he groaned Vegeta’s name and said he loved him. Vegeta shoved at Piccolo, but he was too weak and broken to protect himself. Vegeta cried so hard he shook. It wasn't like with Bulma’s pregnancy. This was no accident. Piccolo wouldn’t stop no matter how Vegeta pleaded. It only made him rougher. Piccolo still wouldn't get out of Vegeta, even after he’d had his fun. Vegeta felt like he was being ripped in half, like he the pain from his ass went all the way to his throat.

Piccolo thrust more, even though he’d finished, and slurred, “Hey, don’t cry, I’m not going to hurt you, Vegeta. Don’t cry.”

Vegeta hid his face with his hands, trying to calm himself. When Piccolo drove into him more and harder, Vegeta shrieked, and disturbingly, Piccolo came inside him again despite Vegeta screaming in agony. Piccolo finally withdrew roughly, hurting Vegeta even more. Vegeta curled into a tight ball and the tears of humiliation and pain wracked his body. When Piccolo tried to unfurl him, Vegeta said, his voice choked, “It’s fine. Do what you need to do. It’s fine.”

“What? No, Vegeta…” Piccolo said, and caressed Vegeta’s back, his hand slipping into Vegeta’s ass. Vegeta flinched and sobbed, braced himself for more suffering, more misery. “Vegeta?” Piccolo said and wrapped himself around Vegeta’s body, and relaxed immediately into sleep. Vegeta peeked over his shoulder and saw Piccolo’s face was completely peaceful. Vegeta laid for a long time, crying despite his efforts to get himself under control.

Vegeta wished he could sleep, to just be unconscious, but his burning, shredded ass prevented it. The significantly more grievous mental damage that Piccolo had just inflicted made Vegeta think it might be a while before he would sleep peacefully again. And Vegeta couldn’t stop crying because he was so deeply and painfully ashamed of himself.

He thought of Piccolo being confused in the shower about how Piccolo could hurt Vegeta. It confused Vegeta too, but for very different reasons. Vegeta heaved with his sobs. It was another source of grief and suffering that Piccolo slept through it all. His mate’s ease after what he’d just done was almost more shocking and painful than the original offense.

At the very first blush of dawn, Vegeta slipped out of Piccolo’s grasp and crept into the shower. He washed the thick layer of Piccolo’s semen off himself, then trembled with more uncontrollable tears and tried to tend to his ass, which bled profusely and throbbed and stung and burned. He couldn’t believe how quickly things had whiplashed the night before, from terror to _theadur_ sex that Vegeta thought was reconciliation after the absurd foursome fight, then back to…to…to what Piccolo had done. It was like a drug-fueled nightmare. Vegeta supposed jealousy and fear were the drugs at hand.

Vegeta slunk to the GR to train, though he wasn’t sure he was capable of doing anything physical between 18’s ass-kicking and Piccolo’s ass-ripping, but it was irrelevant. Vegeta stifled a roar of rage seeing the GR’s broken doors. He spun warily when he sensed Piccolo land behind him. He took a step away, more on edge than he ever wanted to be with his mate. He said, his voice barely audible, “Good morning.” His ass burned and throbbed, but not as much as his mortally wounded pride, his nonexistent dignity.

Piccolo scratched the back of his neck and said, “Hey…can we…can we talk about last night?”

Vegeta nodded, using every ounce of his willpower to keep tears from leaking out of him. He had no desire to talk about the night before now or ever. Vegeta wanted solitude. But as always, Vegeta bowed to what Piccolo wanted. Vegeta was still pathetic, which was hardly a surprise after last night’s revelation that Vegeta was a sniveling bitch. That Vegeta truly would do anything to please Piccolo. Anything not to risk losing Piccolo. Vegeta closed his eyes and held his breath until the tears of self-loathing and shame receded.

Piccolo’s eyes avoided Vegeta’s and his face was red as he muttered, “I was super drunk. Like, blackout drunk. Like I’m still a little drunk now, but mostly just hungover. So fucking hungover.” Piccolo groaned and rubbed his temples.

The tears almost broke free, but Vegeta maintained control. Vegeta breathed, “What…” But it wasn’t even a question, it was just…horror. Just disbelief.

“Bulma and I did a bunch of shots. Like I don’t even know how many shots. I hope she didn’t die of alcohol poisoning. But I think I did way more than she did. Then she propositioned me about the foursome and we did a few more shots. I thought I was okay because I didn't feel drunk, or not that drunk. But I think it didn’t all hit me until a little later because I can’t remember half of last night. The last thing I remember was the super hot _theadur_ sex, and holy fuck, that was great, but then…there’s blood all over the bed. And you weren’t there this morning. But I don’t…I don’t know what happened. Are you okay? Did you get hurt?”

Vegeta started to tremble. While the _theadur_ sex had had pleasurable moments, it almost made him laugh that Piccolo perceived it as anything other than a thinly veiled attack on Vegeta. But the betrayal and violation of…everything else…seared Vegeta like acid without the blackout, but the fact that Piccolo had done those things and he didn’t have to remember made it unbearable. Piccolo had hurt Vegeta again, terribly and deliberately, physically injured Vegeta, but had the bliss of ignorance. 

And to ask if Vegeta had gotten hurt, like he might’ve bonked his head by accident, or cut himself while preparing dinner, then smeared it all over the bed, mixing in plenty of cum. To ask as though anything but Piccolo had ever made Vegeta bleed. There was still blood on Piccolo. On his hand. Crusted between his fingers and around his claws, not a little blood from brushing the sheets, but blood from wounding Vegeta. Vegeta was certain if Piccolo were naked, there would be dried blood other places from exacerbating the wounds he started with his hand. He couldn’t believe Piccolo was feigning ignorance despite ample evidence of one thing. Piccolo obviously wanted to play pretend because it was easier than admitting to himself what he’d done. Vegeta didn't know whether the mirthless laughter or the humiliated sobs were harder to suppress.

Piccolo swept Vegeta up in his arms, his eyes terrified. “Vegeta? What happened?”

Vegeta shoved himself away from Piccolo. As if to continue the nightmare, Talon touched down next to them. He looked Vegeta over with compassion and worry in his eyes before he turned to Piccolo and growled, “What the fuck did you do to him, you sad excuse for a Namek? You almost killed him last night! What did you do? His chi went down so low that I was sure he was going to die! What the fuck kind of mate does that?”

Vegeta said weakly, deflated by the added humiliation that Talon had been a spectator of sorts, “Just go away, Talon. Go. Be with Bulma.”

Talon tried to argue, but Piccolo hooked his arm around Vegeta’s waist and launched them both away.

When Piccolo touched down on their balcony, Vegeta wanted to flee, but Talon had been right, he was near death, maybe from psychological damage more than physical—he’d been grievously injured by 18 before Piccolo’s contribution—but the physical was not helping Vegeta manage the psychological wound. Vegeta wished Piccolo would just leave him alone. He just needed to be alone, to gather the tattered scraps of himself and stitch what could be mended back together.

Vegeta survived the night before because he thought it was _for_ Piccolo. That it was what his demon needed as a fucked up coping mechanism for his insecurities, but now, knowing that Piccolo gained nothing from it, it broke Vegeta, shredded him into a thousand tiny, ragged pieces. Piccolo neither benefited, nor had to live with the awful memory. Whereas Vegeta had lost everything and remembered so vividly it almost made him scream. Vegeta wondered with a swallowed sob if it would even upset Piccolo to know the brutal damage he’d done to his mate: it certainly hadn’t effected Piccolo a bit the night before, and Vegeta wasn’t sure that could be attributed to drunkenness. Vegeta willed himself not to cry. He would not weep in front of Piccolo again.

Vegeta struggled to free himself from Piccolo’s embrace and fell to his knees. Vegeta held his head in his hands. Piccolo dropped down in front of him and tried to remove his hands, to see Vegeta’s face. “Vegeta? Oh gods, what have I done to you?”

Vegeta shook his head. It had all been for nothing. There was nothing left of Vegeta but shame. Burning, incendiary shame. Piccolo kissed over Vegeta's face, his neck, his shoulders. Vegeta cringed at the touch, pushing Piccolo away, but like the night before, Piccolo wouldn’t stop. He wouldn’t leave Vegeta alone. Vegeta wouldn’t beg this time. He wouldn’t plead or cry. Vegeta simply let go. He let go of the ledgeof himself he had clung to after the events of the night before. He fell, and darkness, the sweet nothingness of oblivion, greeted him.


	4. Things That Were Taken

When light came again, Vegeta tried to flee from it. From his own weakness. He buried his head in his arms to hide from the sunlight, afraid it would shine through him and reveal that he was nothing.

“Vegeta? Are you awake?” Dende’s gentle voice said.

“Dende? What…” but Vegeta stopped. He didn’t really want to know. He inventoried the state of his body and his humiliation found new, unplumbed depths. The only thing he wanted to know was why he was alive. He didn’t particularly care except that he hoped to remedy the situation.

“Vegeta, you were very badly injured, but I healed your…physical…wounds. How are you feeling?”

Vegeta turned his face away from the Kami, silent and ashamed. He felt Piccolo’s chi move in and Dende’s leave. “Vegeta?” Piccolo said softly. When Vegeta didn’t answer, Piccolo scooped him up and flew them home. Vegeta’s breaths were coming in jagging gulps as terror filled him at what Piccolo would ask of him. Fear made his vision start to blur. He hated being so inadequate. So cowardly. So unable to fulfill even Piccolo’s most basic needs.

“I’m sorry, Vegeta. I was so drunk.”

Vegeta didn’t speak. Couldn’t. He didn’t trust himself to be anything other than a blubbering pussy. But he sobbed anyway. Piccolo held him and apologized over and over. “Vegeta, can I fix this? How do I fix this?”

Vegeta nodded, wanting it to be true, to be possible. He clutched at Piccolo, but slid into darkness anyway.

* * *

Vegeta awoke again in his own bed, and he felt capable of dealing with a small amount of his life. His eyes slid open. Piccolo was collapsed on the bed beside him. He reached out and caressed his demon’s head, his fingers brushing lightly over his antennae. 

“Vegeta?” Piccolo said, sat up, and kissed Vegeta’s knuckles.

“I’m okay,” Vegeta said.

Piccolo held his hand and whispered, “Please stay with me, Vegeta. I know I don’t deserve it, but please.”

“I’m tired, Piccolo.”

“I know…How…how are you otherwise?”

Vegeta felt broken. Why did Piccolo want to hurt him? He imagined saying that question out loud and his throat burned. Vegeta’s hip hurt and he looked down, where pain radiated from  his mating mark. It was red and inflamed, like it was infected. But it had been entirely healed, so that didn’t make sense. Maybe Piccolo had bitten it again when he was unconscious?

Piccolo followed his eyes and said, startled, “Oh! Fuck! Dende healed you, it shouldn’t be…oh gods, Vegeta, fuck. This is because of what I did.”

Vegeta tried to go back to sleep. His body did feel better. His ass. No more wounds from 18 or Piccolo, but his mind felt like a festering sore. He couldn’t face his life. He wanted the blissful release of the darkness he’d known in death.

Piccolo kissed him softly, “Please let me fix this.”

Vegeta sighed and shuddered with the effort of not crying. “It’s fine. I’m fine. Thank you for taking me to Dende. I wish he’d been around…last time.”

Piccolo pressed his forehead to Vegeta’s. “I won’t ever drink again. I didn’t think I was that drunk. I thought I was just buzzed.”

“It’s not like you need to be drunk to do what you did. I’m fine, but I don’t want to talk about it anymore, Piccolo. You’ve already forgotten about it, let me do the same.”

Piccolo sat up, tried to look into Vegeta’s eyes, but Vegeta got out of bed. He needed to go train. He needed to be alone if he couldn’t have oblivion. Piccolo turned his face gently. “Show me? Show me what…what I did?”

“No. I don’t…I can’t. I can’t live it again. It was humiliating enough one time.”

“Vegeta, I know I hurt you, but I don’t even…I don’t even know how. Did I…did I…rape you?” he said, the last few words barely audible.

Vegeta wrapped his arms around his head. He held his tears in check and breathed through the urge to throw up that hearing the word had awoken. He dressed to train. As he shrugged his tank top down, he said, not looking at Piccolo, “I don’t ever want to talk about this again,” and took off to train alone.

He saw the GR’s doors were fixed and he swooped down inside. He set the parameters, but before the doors sealed, Talon popped in.

“Get out, Talon! I have nothing left to deal with you right now! Get the fuck out!” Vegeta hissed.

“Vegeta—are you okay? What did he do to you?”

Vegeta roared as he felt the sting of tears. As if the chimera night hadn’t been enough, there had been this witness, the last witness Vegeta would ever choose for this particular variety of humiliation.

“Please just go, Talon. Please. I’m humiliated enough without having to answer to you. If you care about me, even a little, fucking go,” Vegeta pleaded.

Piccolo landed next to Talon and growled, “Go away.”

“No! You hurt him! You may be stronger than me, but I’ll die before I let you hurt him again!”

“I’m not going to hurt him!” Piccolo said, and Vegeta almost laughed at how affronted Piccolo was, as if him hurting Vegeta was completely outside the realm of possibilities in their relationship.

“You already have! Look at him, he’s fucking trembling! What the fuck did you even do to make the Prince of All Saiyans, the proudest, strongest man I’ve ever known, tremble? Huh?” Talon snarled.

“Get out! You’re the reason this even happened!” Piccolo hissed.

“Don’t blame me that you _abused_ your mate!” Talon shouted.

Vegeta bit out, “Both of you, get the fuck out and leave me alone. I won’t be a part of your dumbass dick measuring. Get out! And leave each other alone, for fuck’s sake. If either of you cares for me, just stay the fuck away from each other!”

Piccolo’s eyes were hurt, almost teary, as he looked at Vegeta. He started to speak and Vegeta growled, “Go.”

They finally listened and Vegeta turned the GR to murderous parameters and lost himself in survival.

* * *

Vegeta showered in the compound’s locker room at the end of the day, throwing on a pair of Capsule Corps sweats to walk to the kitchen. But he realized he wasn’t hungry, so he headed toward his rooms, but he detected Bulma along his path. He sucked in a breath as she caught him trying to slink away before she saw him.

“Oh, Vegeta, no one your size should be so stealth. You want a bite to eat? I’m going to make—“

“No. Thank you. I’m tired.”

“You haven’t eaten for several days.”

“I’m fine. Good night, Bulma.”

“Vegeta?”

He stopped, hissing that he had almost been free. Almost alone. “What?” he said quietly.

“If…if you ever need to talk…I still care about you. You know you can talk to me, right?”

“Thank you. I care for you too,” he said and hurried away from the treacherous desire that flooded his body. He wanted to be with her, to fuck her. Or Talon. He wanted to feel safe and in control. Bulma could never hurt him, even if she wanted to. And Talon would never hurt him because it wasn’t in his nature. If anyone were to get hurt with Talon and Vegeta, it would be Talon.

When he got to their rooms and found them empty, he breathed a conflicted sigh of relief and disappointment. He crawled into his closet nest, hoping he’d be fast asleep by the time Piccolo returned from wherever he’d gone. But moments later, he felt Piccolo come home, heard his demon searching for him in the bathroom, the living area, then finally the closet. Vegeta relaxed his body and his breathing to fake sleep as his demon peered into the darkness.

“Vegeta?” he said, with such abject sadness that Vegeta couldn’t ignore him.

“What? I’m tired. What do you want?”

Piccolo settled beside him and rubbed Vegeta’s back, stopped when Vegeta flinched away. “Fuck, my love. I’ll do anything. Please let me try to fix what I’ve done. Please, I don't know how to fix it if I don’t even know what I did.”

“If you’ll do anything, leave me alone. I’m tired.” Vegeta’s mating wound throbbed as he said it and he cringed and gasped in pain. He sat up to look at it. It was truly festering now. “Fuck, I’ll have to ask Bulma for antibiotics.”

“Vegeta, I think…I don’t think medicine will fix that. I think…I think it’s fucked up from what I did.”

Vegeta sighed heavily. “Why do you say that?”

Piccolo slowly drew the waist of his pants down and lifted his shirt a few inches. Vegeta saw Piccolo’s wound was red and weeping too, and fear for his demon overwhelmed everything. He caressed it and murmured, “Gods, Piccolo, let me look,” and he flipped on the light instead of relying on his night vision.

He yanked down Piccolo’s pants and pushed his shirt up. He moved his hand delicately around the wound. “When did this start, my demon?”

Piccolo’s breathing was fast and his face looked panicky. He said, “I’m so sorry, it was just a reaction, I couldn’t help it—“

Vegeta didn’t understand, but then he noticed Piccolo’s erection straining against the small, tight boxer-briefs Piccolo wore. “Vegeta, I…I just, when you tore my pants down. I’m so sor—“

Vegeta cut him off, yanking down Piccolo’s boxers too. He took Piccolo deep in his mouth and groaned. In all his hurt and suffering and misery from that night—he only now realized that he missed Piccolo; that night had been the first touching, the first sex, they’d had since Piccolo’s labor and the intense sexual encounter they’d had after Talon’s arrival.

Now Vegeta couldn’t think of anything but his aching love, his burning lust, his need for his demon. He slid his mouth up and down, moaning with his own hunger for Piccolo’s pleasure. Piccolo’s obvious powerful need for Vegeta turned him on more.

“Vegeta, oh gods, your mouth is unbelievable, you feel so good. Vegeta, please, ride my face…please.”

Vegeta’s fear flared, but he still felt the almost painful urge to please his mate, to do whatever Piccolo wanted. He shimmied out of his pants and spun around, never letting Piccolo’s shaft out of his mouth. Piccolo curled up and sucked down Vegeta’s length and he briefly pulled off to cry out.

Vegeta felt Piccolo’s hands grip his ass and he had a flash of terror that he would lose his hard-on. But Piccolo stopped himself and slid his hands up and down Vegeta’s thighs. Vegeta sucked on Piccolo’s balls, licked up his shaft, then moved his balls to tongue his _theadur_. Piccolo gasped on him and when Vegeta thrust his fingers inside Piccolo, his demon groaned. 

Vegeta fingered him deeply, sucking his cock as Piccolo began to glow. Vegeta assumed Piccolo would turn him around so Vegeta could fuck his _theadur_ , but he didn’t. He kept giving Vegeta incredible head until Vegeta growled, “Fuck, I’m coming—“ and came hard in Piccolo’s mouth.

Piccolo gripped his thighs and kept sucking until his dick and his sheath came simultaneously, wracking his body, making him tense and twitch. Vegeta swallowed Piccolo’s seed and laid his face on Piccolo’s unmarked hip, gasping for breath. After a moment he pulled his fingers out of Piccolo’s velvety tunnel, and moved to crawl off Piccolo. But Piccolo seized his hips and curled up to lick his aching mating wound.

It felt so soothing that Vegeta moaned. He wondered if his mouth would have the same effect on Piccolo. He lowered his mouth and carefully licked Piccolo’s angry sore. When Piccolo hummed happily, he flattened his tongue against it, licking it more.

“Gods, Vegeta, that feels so much better.”

“I know,” Vegeta whispered.

They tended each other’s wounds like animals until Vegeta’s exhaustion won, and he climbed off Piccolo, and curled up on his broad chest. Piccolo wrapped his startled arms around Vegeta and Vegeta slipped into darkness, despairing less after the relief he’d brought Piccolo. The relief Piccolo had given him in return.

* * *

Vegeta woke with a start the next morning. He was still in Piccolo’s arms and he could feel the depth of Piccolo’s slumber. He stayed motionless, not wanting to disturb his mate’s rest. He had no idea how to move past what happened, but the night before felt like a small first step. He could see Piccolo’s bite mark from where he laid and it looked significantly better than it had before Vegeta had cared for it. Maybe Piccolo was right and the wounds were festering because of their rift.

“Hey, you sleep at all, my love?” Piccolo’s rumbling voice against his ear made Vegeta ache with love. With relief.

“I did. You?”

“The best I’ve slept in days. Weeks maybe. How’s your mark?”

“I haven’t looked yet. Yours looks better.”

Piccolo hesitantly tipped Vegeta’s mouth up to his as he curled down. He brushed his lips over Vegeta’s as he looked into his eyes. When Vegeta didn’t protest, he kissed him. Vegeta shifted to be more on top of his demon and kissed him more; more deeply. Piccolo murmured against his mouth, “I love you. Thank you for last night.”

“My pleasure, my demon,” Vegeta whispered, not wanting Piccolo to push the conversation to where Vegeta feared he would go.

But Piccolo contented himself with kissing and running his hands up and down Vegeta’s back, never lower than his bottom rib after Vegeta tensed up noticeably when he went lower. It had been involuntary and Vegeta was ashamed of himself, but grateful Piccolo said nothing. 

Vegeta stopped kissing Piccolo gradually, stood, and slipped on a pair of training shorts. He saw Piccolo's look of disappointment, but he felt antsy, eager to train, and to work through anything else that might bubble up out of the swamp of his mind. He said, “I’m going to go train. I’ll see you tonight?”

Piccolo sat up suddenly and touched Vegeta’s hip. Vegeta’s wound was not better, even though it felt better. It looked far worse, black veins radiating out from it.

Piccolo stammered, “Did…was…was last night just to…just to appease me?”

“What? No! Of course not!”

Piccolo looked down at his own wound, which was markedly better. He stood and tilted Vegeta’s chin up. “I don’t deserve your forgiveness with everything I’ve done, but please let me try to earn it. I can’t imagine my life without you.”

“You did okay before,” Vegeta said, surprised at his own venom.

“Vegeta, that’s not fair. I wasn’t…I wasn’t _me_ then,” Piccolo said, his eyebrows scrunched up with desperation.

“And I suppose you weren’t _you_ the other night?” Vegeta said, angry at himself more than Piccolo for even allowing this conversation to happen.

“No. That was the shittiest parts of me, all magnified and brought into focus by drink. I won’t excuse whatever I did. I just want a chance to do better.”

“But you keep taking your chances and shredding them like my fucking asshole. The horrible fucking truth is that you _like_ hurting me, Piccolo. But I don’t like it. That doesn’t work for me and I don’t…” he shook his head, staving off tears. “I gave you fucking everything that night. I offered everything and it’s still not enough! And you don’t even fucking remember. So my humiliation and shame was for nothing. Just like you leaving me. All my pain has been for fucking _nothing_ , even though I was doing it for you. Fuck!” He tried to choke back tears. He ripped his body away from Piccolo, but his demon grappled with him until Vegeta was immobilized in his long arms.

“Vegeta…”

“Let me fucking go! Or maybe you’d prefer to shove something inside me first!” Vegeta finally broke down and sobbed. He wrestled furiously, but he couldn’t bring himself to hurt Piccolo, and couldn’t free himself without hurting his mate.

His wound burned and throbbed, the pain pulsing in wider circles. Piccolo only shushed him and whispered, “Please show me. Please. It’s not fair that you bear the burden of that night alone. Please, Vegeta, it’s making you sick.”

Vegeta almost hissed, _You made me sick_ , but he knew some things could never be unsaid, so he held his tongue. He growled, “Let me fucking go!”

Piccolo shoved their foreheads together and Vegeta tried to stuff it down, tried to hide the night away, but he couldn’t and Piccolo was taking it, taking it by force, again. Vegeta wailed in horror that Piccolo was taking this from him too, setting fire to the tattered remains of Vegeta’s dignity. He collapsed and slithered out of the green arms that fell slack around him.

Vegeta retched and fled, unable to face Piccolo after this. Unable to face anyone. He flew into the wilderness, but blackness stained the edge of his vision. He felt coated in ice, but when he looked, he was sweaty, the black veins snaked out from his mating mark down even below the hem of his shorts. His belly had a spray of angry dark whorls that he could tell reached inside him. He was going to die of infection: not in battle, not from old age, not from catastrophe, but from bacteria. From a festering love bite. Darkness and despair enveloped him and he plummeted. He welcomed the relief, even if it was a pathetic way to die.

* * *

But no one would let him stay in the void. Why did they keep dragging him back up? Dredging him up like some foul thing in a swamp. He heard Dende’s soft voice, “Piccolo, this is beyond my power to heal. You have to heal this. Bulma checked and it’s not infection: there’s no bacteria or any other pathogen. This is a magical wound. I don’t know much about Saiyan mating rites, but my guess is this is a result of how you hurt him. I don’t know how you heal that, but you are the only one who can.”

Piccolo sniffled and choked out, “I know. I want to fix it, Dende, but he hates me. And he should. But…I…I don’t know what to do!”

“Stop forcing it, Piccolo! For the Lord of Lord’s sake, haven’t you taken enough from him by force? To lay low a warrior like Vegeta was no minor feat of psychological war, Piccolo, but to do so as his mate? Gods. Let him lead you. Let him guide you. I can’t believe you took his memories, of all heinous, shameful ways to act after what you obviously did, if his wounds spoke truth. And under the guise of ‘helping’ him. Despicable. You knew what you did. Such injuries are only sustained one way, Piccolo. You literally had blood on your hands, or one of them. I thought you understood me better after I healed him last time.”

“I just want to fix it!” Piccolo whined.

“You can’t just patch this up, Piccolo! That’s what I need you to understand. I saved him after being broken by his fall, but that damage was _nothing_ compared to what you’ve done to his mind with your smash and grab tactics, and your belief that if you just know the specifics of what happened and apologize it will suddenly be okay! Let him heal, Piccolo, and it will take time. A lot of time, probably, after what you’ve done today. You made everything worse.”

“I didn’t know what else to do!”

“Think through your actions! You need to stop forcing _anything,_ ” Dende nearly shouted. His venom surprised Vegeta.

Vegeta sat up, grimacing at the burning horror that was his entire right side now. Black whorls engulfed his right leg down below the knee and up almost to his nipples, shooting flaming tongues of agony in radiating rays from each tendril.

Piccolo rushed to him and helped him sit. Vegeta cringed away from him. Piccolo moved to help him anyway but Dende shot him a harsh look, and Piccolo stepped away. Dende said, “Vegeta, I think you should stay here for a few days. I can manage your pain if nothing else.”

Vegeta stood, pulling his shorts back on, despite the fact that they were crusty with blood. He must have been a mess. He walked to the edge of the lookout. He felt woozy and feverish, but said, “Thank you again, Dende, but I’ll manage on my own.”

Piccolo stood near him, practically trembling. “Can I help you home?”

“I’m fine. I’m going to go train.”

Dende said, “I don’t think that’s wise.”

“You’ve maybe noticed wisdom is not my strong suit?” Vegeta said, doing his best to smirk, then dove down toward the Earth, Piccolo following him. He considered rocketing into the ground, but Piccolo was too close, Vegeta too weak, and he would never be able to successfully complete his suicide; it would just be more work for Dende. He wished there was a Saiyan healer he could consult. But that wasn't right. He just wished for death. He didn’t want just to heal the wound, because that wouldn’t really solve anything. And he couldn’t imagine a life unwed from Piccolo. But how could they move past this?

Vegeta landed heavily, his blackened leg collapsing and sending vicious pain twisting through his whole right side. Piccolo steadied him and he managed not to flinch.

Piccolo said, “Can we train together, at least?”

“As you wish.”

“No, I…what do you want, Vegeta?”

“I want to go back. Back to how we were—“

“I’ll do anything—“

“ _But_ , I don’t think we can, Piccolo. I don’t even know how to imagine it,” Vegeta breathed sharply through his teeth, the wound reverberating with pain.

Piccolo’s eyes were glassy. He held his own wound, festering again, if not as severely as Vegeta’s. Vegeta stepped toward him. “Are you in pain?”

Piccolo nodded, but said nothing. They were near the GR, but Vegeta started limping toward their quarters before pressing Piccolo against his good side and flying. He laid Piccolo on the bed and slowly eased his pants down, then made Piccolo sit up so he could slide his shirt up and off.

Piccolo was naked. He blushed and said, “I just grabbed clothes as I flew out to find you, sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry, my demon,” Vegeta said softly as he bent to kiss the wound. He licked it softly and Piccolo groaned and clutched Vegeta’s hand in his. Vegeta could see the wound change, grow less angry, and to his surprise, his own pain lessened. He glanced down and saw the dark tendrils retreat a small amount.

“Vegeta?”

“Hmm?”

“Can I…can I soothe yours?”

“No.”

“Okay,” Piccolo said, then softer, “Can I…can I hold you?”

Vegeta considered saying no, but his wound pulsed with pain just at the thought. It felt slightly better as he climbed warily into Piccolo’s embrace. The mark was apparently intent on them being together. Being physically close, even if Vegeta felt light years of emotional distance.

“I love you, Vegeta.”

Vegeta’s silence made his wound throb and burn. “I do love you, Piccolo. I do. I just need…I think…I think I just need some time.” The wound sent shards of agony through him, the tendrils twisted out visibly in every direction. He screamed and Piccolo sat upright. He carefully slid down Vegeta’s shorts to look at the spreading horror.

“Vegeta, even saying that is making things worse. Maybe…I don’t know, maybe you just need time where I’m not pressuring you or pushing you or asking anything of you.”

The tendrils receded some at Piccolo’s suggestion and the pain dropped from a rolling boil to a simmer. Vegeta flopped onto his back, gasping with the relief, but creeping shame at his weakness and his nudity spread as much as the tendrils. Vegeta hid his face. Piccolo covered him with a blanket, but bent and lightly kissed the wound. “I'm sorry I made you so sick. I’m sorry I’ve ruined everything.”

Vegeta ran his fingers over Piccolo’s head. “You didn’t. We’ll…we’ll be okay.”

Piccolo licked him more and whispered his love. Vegeta was getting hard and had no idea how to deal with it. He wanted to be easy with his demon again. He decided he didn’t care about anything that had happened and he groaned, “Gods, Piccolo…Can I…can I fuck you?”

Piccolo dragged the sheet down, straddled Vegeta carefully, and took Vegeta inside his _theadur_. Vegeta’s mark felt so much better that he moaned and touched it, certain that it had healed. Piccolo laid his hand over Vegeta’s hand.

Piccolo rocked on him slowly, caressed his face, and bent to kiss him. It was a whisper of a kiss. But he kept close to Vegeta until he clasped Piccolo’s face in his hands and pulled him tight for a real kiss, a deep kiss. More relief. He broke away, gasping, and pressed their foreheads together. “I love you, my demon. I forgive you. I forgive you.”

Vegeta felt the tendrils cool, even if they didn’t retreat. Piccolo was riding him faster now and gasped against Vegeta’s mouth, “Tell me when, my love, tell me…”

“No, I love it when you do it, please?”

“Anything, Vegeta, anything. Fuck, come with me, my love, my life, come inside me…”

Vegeta came hard and he felt the wound contract, but more than that, he felt such full body relief, even his mind, when the glow finally erupted across his skin, that he came again, even harder, curling up and bucking into Piccolo. Piccolo wrapped Vegeta in his arms and his semen jetted up between them, over their abs, up onto their chests.

Vegeta gasped into Piccolo’s neck and clung to him. He whispered, nearly a whimper, “Mean it this time. Tell me you’ll never hurt me again and mean it.”

Piccolo held his head so they could look into each other’s eyes. “I do mean it, I’ll never hurt you again. I’m so sorry. Never again. Never.” His eyes were glassy and red and raw. Only now did Vegeta realize how much his demon had wept for him. Piccolo whispered, “I thought I’d lost you, even before you fell, I thought I’d lost you. Then…then when you fell, I…I thought I would die too, without you. I’m sorry for what I did earlier, too. It was so selfish. I just feel so helpless and stupid. Which I deserve, I know, but I just wanted to help. I didn’t think.”

“I know. I know.”

“Vegeta…I never really,” Piccolo choked on a sob, “When you offered…I didn’t…I’m sorry I humiliated you like that. I was vicious and cruel and I hadn’t realized my jealousy made me that way. And then…how I hurt you. I’m so sorry.”

Vegeta let his own humiliated tears free, but turned his face back into Piccolo’s shoulder. Piccolo clutched him and said, “And I know you were protecting me by not showing me how despicable I was. Even after everything, you were trying to spare me, to ease my suffering.”

Vegeta choked on his sobs. His arms were tight around Piccolo’s neck so he could hide his face. Piccolo didn’t say any more, he just held Vegeta tightly. Vegeta was still partially inside Piccolo, though he’d gone soft and was ashamed of himself. His mark felt better, but he could feel that it wasn’t done with him yet. Piccolo had cut him too deep.

He pulled Piccolo down on top of him as he laid back. Exhaustion pressed down on him and he said, “Stay with me. Please don’t leave me.”


	5. The Magic of the Mating Marks

The burning ache of his wound woke Vegeta the next morning, and he was surprised that he’d slept through the day before and the entire night. He’d had the same nightmare, over and over, of Piccolo doing what he’d done, what Vegeta had offered up like a sacrifice. He was weeping and so was the mark, but despite that, he was hard and there was a soft glow under his skin and Piccolo’s.

Piccolo shifted on him and hit Vegeta’s mark. He yelped in pain.

“Vegeta?” Piccolo said blearily, “Did I hurt you?”

“I’m alright. You just hit my wound. Sorry I woke you.”

Piccolo sat up carefully and smiled down at Vegeta. He rolled his hips with a happy moan. “What should I do now that I'm awake?”

It felt so good to see his demon smile, to be playful again. A smirk tugged at Vegeta’s lips. “Hmpf. I give you two weeks off and you forget all the hard work I put into training you.” He rolled Piccolo abruptly onto his back and started thrusting slowly and deeply inside his demon. The dull light flared brightly under Piccolo’s skin and Vegeta’s too. He murmured, “I guess I’ll have to remind you how it’s done.”

Piccolo gasped, pulling his legs up and wide, “Gods, Vegeta, you might have to show me again and again since I’ve proven what a slow learner I am.”

“That you are. We may be very busy getting you back up to speed.”

“Fuck, Vegeta, you feel so good,” Piccolo rasped and curled up to kiss him. He moved his hands down Vegeta’s back and whispered, “Okay if I grab your ass? I won’t…I won’t touch you like that.”

Vegeta nodded, wanting to give Piccolo what he wanted, but his wound flared painfully and he bit out, “No, no, sorry. I’m not ready.”

“Don’t be sorry. Your back okay?”

“Yes, that’s okay.”

“Good?”

Vegeta rolled his hips, considering how he actually felt, and said, “Yes, I like you touching me, just not…not…not there. Not yet.”

Piccolo gripped Vegeta’s back and wrapped his legs around him, whispered his love over and over again until they were spent.

* * *

They spent the day making love in their room. Early in the evening, Vegeta tried to ignore Talon’s chi as he approached their room, and then turned and left, never knocking. But Talon’s approach made Vegeta pull into himself with terror, ready for another outburst from Piccolo. His wound’s tendrils exploded outward, doubling in size.

Piccolo noticed the change as he was sucking down Vegeta’s belly. “Hey, I’ll stop! I’ll stop. I’m done!” He held up his hands and scooted away from Vegeta.

Vegeta curled into a ball the pain was so intense and growing. Piccolo touched his upper back very lightly and said, “Vegeta, I’m so sorry. I didn’t…I don’t know this time! I don’t know what I did. Inormally at least know, even if I’m a dick about it.”

“Nothing. Nothing,” Vegeta bit out and tried to open his body enough to look at his mating wound. It had split open and blood poured down his crotch and off his side. Blood pulsed out of it.

Piccolo cried out and applied pressure with a wad of bedsheet. “Fuck! No! Vegeta, what’s happening? What did I do? I’m sorry! I’m sorry for whatever I did!”

Piccolo’s mark was completely healed, so Vegeta didn’t think it had anything to do with what they’d done. Was it Talon? Or the fear that Talon awoke in Vegeta—fear of Piccolo’s jealous rages? “Ah!” he wailed, another long black tendril slithered down his leg. That answered that. Vegeta gasped in agony and said, “Nothing! You didn’t do anything. But I think I know. I know what’s making it worse.”

“Tell me so I can fix it!” Piccolo cried.

“I don’t think you can!”

“Please, Vegeta! Let me try, at least!” Piccolo pleaded, tears pouring down his cheeks. Blood had soaked through the sheet and was bubbling out over Piccolo’s fingers. He said, “Anything, say anything to me, I’ll listen, please!” His voice cracked and he sobbed.

“Talon came to the door, I sensed him, and I got scared you’d lose your temper at me again,” Vegeta said and hid his face in his hands, squirming with the pain from the pressure Piccolo was applying to try to stanch the bleeding.

The pulsing stopped and the long, painful tendril retracted. Piccolo kept pressure on it and slowly the bleeding stopped. The bed was a gory mess and Vegeta teetered on the brink of unconsciousness.

Piccolo peeked under the blood soaked wad of sheet. He sighed and said, “It’s stopped spurting. I’m going to run get some bandages and some red meat for you, okay? I’ll be right back, okay? You’ll be okay for a few minutes? Two. Two minutes tops. Can you sit up and press this? It hasn’t stopped entirely yet and you’re running out of spare blood.” Piccolo propped him up with pillows and he pushed down on his hip as hard as he could in his weakened state.

Vegeta must have passed out because when he rose back to consciousness, he was already bandaged and the bed was made up with clean sheets. He was propped on Piccolo’s chest, his arms wrapped around Vegeta and his strong green hand still applying pressure. “You awake, my love?” his gravelly voice murmured.

“Fuck. I'm a wreck.”

“Do you feel up to eating? You lost so much blood and Dende said there’s no donors here that wouldn't make you worse, not even Gohan. He tried healing you, but it didn’t work. And…I…I talked to Talon while you were out. We’re not friends or anything, but I think I can stop being such a ridiculous shit about him. And if I get jealous, I’m going to go meditate with Dende. He said he’d work with me to get a handle on my anger issues…my sadism…whatever you want to call my fucked up behavior.” Piccolo kissed the side of Vegeta’s neck, then continued, his voice quieter, “I know it’d be better if I could just say I won’t be jealous or be a monster, but I want to be honest, and I know it’s going to take some work to stop my bullshit. To really change. But you knew that. You knew that the other night and you tried to tell me. I’m so sorry I didn’t listen.”

Vegeta nodded weakly. He was so tired. “How long was I out?”

“A few hours.”

“Gods, I’m sor—“

“Do not fucking apologize to me, Vegeta. Holy shit. Don’t you dare. I’m reaping what I sowed and I deserve to suffer, I just wish that didn’t entail you suffering. I gotta say, it’s been a bit of a jolt to realize that I’m the huge asshole in our relationship. Honestly, no one who knows us both saw that coming. It’s like you liking fucking more than fighting, it’s just a surprise, but it makes sense once you see it.”

Vegeta chuckled. “Even I’m still reeling from both realizations. But I think I’ve figured part of…your needs…out. You thought I was a power-top, and I am in some ways, my obsession with your pleasure, my relentlessness, my endurance. But I think you’re the power-top psychologically and that’s why you’ve struggled so much. Why you get so angry at me. I think my staying power inflames your gross dominance behaviors and you lose your shit. You become an asshole when there’s any other sexual player in your head. It makes you stupid. Get over it, Piccolo, I’m better at managing my orgasms. It’s not that special.”

Vegeta tensed as he looked over his shoulder, certain that Piccolo was going to hit him. The worst part was that it was a huge relief to Vegeta: he would take a thousand punches over Piccolo’s other form of aggression and subjugation. Vegeta’s wound pulsed and more blood poured over Piccolo’s fingers.

Piccolo saw the blood and growled, “Fuck. Yeah, given how much what you just said pisses me off, I think you’ve struck fucked up psychological gold.”

Vegeta groaned as the wound slowed its bleeding again and some of the tendrils retracted. Piccolo whispered, “Oh, Vegeta, I’m such a mess. I can’t believe how much I’ve fucked up the one person I never wanted to hurt.”

Piccolo eased out from behind Vegeta and took away the soaked bandage. He sucked the wound, and it closed up. Then he moved his mouth onto Vegeta’s cock, brought it to life, and sucked him until Vegeta said, blearily, “I think I’m too tired, for once, Piccolo. You feel amazing, but I’m so tired.”

“Do you want me to stop? Because I’m happy to keep blowing you, even if you doze off.”

Vegeta laughed weakly and said, “Suck away.”

Piccolo did and soon Vegeta was writhing and pleading and Piccolo pulled off to whisper, “Come for me, my love, come in my mouth.”

* * *

The next day, Vegeta wanted to get back to training. Piccolo said, his voice shaky, “We could train by the sea? Like we used to?”

Vegeta’s heart seized and he kissed Piccolo. “Yes, let’s do that.”

Over the next few days, they found some semblance of ease together again, but Vegeta wasn’t able to fully relax, to let go. Even seeing Talon or Bulma when he was with Piccolo caused the wound to erupt, though it never bled as profusely as the first time. Vegeta felt wary all the time. He came out of the GR with Piccolo and cursed when Talon approached them.

Vegeta could feel Piccolo tamping down his jealousy, his possessiveness. Then Talon said, “Vegeta? Can I talk to you alone? Just for a couple minutes?”

Piccolo’s thick, stifling anger tore at Vegeta’s mating scar. Vegeta doubled over briefly with spiking pain, and blood cascaded down his leg. Piccolo gasped and dropped to his knees. He ripped off his shirt to stanch the flow and Talon joined him. He stared at the two Namek hands pressing hard on his hip. Piccolo’s other hand gripped his ass possessively. Vegeta started to shake and Piccolo looked up with shame in his eyes. He slid his hand off Vegeta’s ass and murmured, “Just to brace you, my love,” and he kissed Vegeta’s hip.

“What’s happening?” Talon asked in a panicked voice, “How did this happen? It was healed, completely healed! Vegeta, you need a doctor. It’s obviously terribly infected.”

Piccolo said drily, “Poisoned is more apt, perhaps.”

“What?! You fucking poisoned him in his mating mark? What the fuck, Piccolo?!” Talon said, his eyes wide and angry.

“Not like that, you imbecile! My jealousy, my continued inability to tolerate your fucking presence, is making it do this.”

Talon stood abruptly. “I’ll go. I would never wish this on you, Vegeta. Can you tell Bulma I said thank you and goodbye?”

Vegeta was outraged. He hissed, “But you’re still fucking her! You’ll break her heart.”

Talon smiled sadly. “Hard to break something that’s already shattered.”

“Yet I assure you, it can be done. Don’t do that to her, Talon. She’s been hurt enough because of me.”

“Look what my presence is doing! Bulma wouldn’t want this either. She and I can always meet up somewhere else later.”

“Talon, as your fucking superior officer, I order you not to do this to her. I’m fine.” He shoved Piccolo’s hand off him. Blood pulsed out of the wound. “Go on, Piccolo. You’re making it worse. Go to Dende’s and work through your shit.”

Piccolo said mentally, _Why won’t you just let him go?_

_Why won’t you fucking trust me?_

_I do trust you. I don’t trust him_.

_Piccolo, I will lay him out if he tries anything._

Piccolo growled and launched toward the lookout. Vegeta returned his rapidly fading attention back to Talon. He said, slurring, “What did you wish to speak to me about?”

“Well, about Bulma, actually. I…I like her a lot, but I don’t know if I can mate with a…with a…woman. Especially one that bore your child. How…she’s my first woman. And she’s lovely. And wonderful. But it feels…I don’t know…a little hollow not to have _theadur_ stuff.”

Vegeta staggered back to the GR and leaned heavily on the wall. “I don’t have a _theadur_ , Talon, so I can’t speak to that. But have you invited her to touch yours? Bear in mind it probably won’t strike her as sacred, so don’t expect her to see it as a commitment.”

“No, you taught me that,” Talon said with a sad smile.

“Talon, come on, I did, I just…” Vegeta felt absurdly close to tears. “I wish I hadn’t hurt you. I would have never touched it if I’d realized how much damage it would do.”

“No, I wouldn’t wish that. Gods, we had some good times in there.” Talon’s smile turned into his usual, seductive, lopsided smirk.

Vegeta smirked back and said, slurring even more, “That we did.”

Talon’s eyes met his shyly and he whispered, “But do women…do women perform…penetrative acts?”

“Well, Bulma certainly got a bit of a taste for fingering my ass. She even pegged me a time or two, so yes, they do. And other women that I fucked when I was soldiering were usually open to that as well. Bulma’s no prude, she’ll probably try anything you want. But she wouldn’t touch it without an explicit invitation. She helped with Piccolo’s labor, so she’s familiar with it. But you’ll have to ask. And that might answer you other questions.”

“Are you okay, Vegeta? You look terrible. Are you sure you don’t want me to go? I don’t want you to suffer, I still love you,” Talon said.

Vegeta felt the world shift and melt. He saw that Talon continued talking to him, but he couldn’t hear any longer. He slid down the wall, agony exploding in his right side, and he called, _Piccolo, oh, my demon, I love you_ …Then he fell.


	6. The Golden Thread

Vegeta tried to claw his way to the surface, but he failed. Again and again, he found no purchase, and he slid back down into the darkness. He heard Piccolo calling to him, both aloud and in his mind. The first time Vegeta almost breached the surface of the blackness, but his demon’s jealousy and fury had been so heavy that the wound rent itself deeper. They were too heavy and Vegeta felt his grip on consciousness slide away, even though he tried to hold it with slippery, bloodied fingers.

The second time, the fury had been replaced by Piccolo’s terror, but Vegeta’s body couldn’t pull him up. It had no blood left and it was only maintaining the most vital functions, and apparently consciousness was not one of them.

Vegeta heard Dende’s voice, but couldn’t speak, couldn’t answer, couldn’t move. “My only potential course is to remove it entirely. To amputate the original wound and hope he can recover. But I don’t think you can have him back after that, Piccolo. And I can’t guarantee he would survive such a procedure. Severing that bond might kill him outright. I’m also reluctant to do something so drastic without his consent.”

“I’ll die without him, Dende,” came Piccolo’s tearful voice, “but I’d rather die myself than let him die. If you think it will save him, do it. Please just do it.”

“I don’t know if anything other than his will can save him. He’s a long way gone and there’s no blood to give him. He’s nearly bled out already, one more eruption and he’ll just exsanguinate. Then he’s gone. So you need to do better if he ever recovers even a little. That is on you, Piccolo, not Vegeta and definitely not Talon. You. Just you.”

Vegeta’s strength gave way as Piccolo sobbed, though he tried so hard to reach his demon. He reached out to hold on to him. To comfort him. But Piccolo was too far away. Vegeta tried to push words out of his mouth, to tell Piccolo that it would all be okay. That Vegeta was just very tired. He just needed to rest. But Vegeta’s mouth remained motionless, not even open enough to breathe.

Vegeta settled into the abyss, the comfort of the nothingness. He sank slowly into the darkest dark, but he could never let go of the shining, golden thread that came down from the surface. _Vegeta, my love_ , it said again and again, and soft, soft kisses that were so far away. _I need you_ , Vegeta heard, and he tried to kick up, to swim, but he only drifted farther down into the depths. It was so pleasant there. So calm. Vegeta sank farther in the gloom until the thread was stretched taut and held only the sound of his name, though glittering tears dripped along it, into the darkest dark he had ever seen. So dark that space seemed light by comparison.

And Vegeta knew the place. It was a comfortable place. He had been there before, after Frieza. He had gone farther into it then, wrapped himself in the void. Into the silence of the very bottom of the darkness, where there was true nothingness. True peace. True solace. But Vegeta felt the tender, shuddering of Piccolo's kiss down the golden strand. The crystalline, glowing love trickled down the thread, and on some of the love came a stark, clear image of his eggs. Their eggs. His babies that he had made with his love for Piccolo. Piccolo’s love for him.

Vegeta’s fingers began to slip off the golden thread, because it was slippery with so many tears, but he twisted it around one finger. It bit into his flesh like a garrote. He moved his hand, wrapped it around his palm and began to climb, though the tears turned out to be razorblades, shredding his hands and feet and inner thighs to shreds as he clambered up that fragile, sparkling cord. The agony was unbelievable and unlike any other pain he’d felt in his life, though close in kind to what Piccolo had done.

That memory caused the thin, shining thread to snap. Vegeta lunged with the last of his strength to catch the frayed tail of the narrow, brutal string. He climbed again, aching and tired, but he embraced his suffering: he understood suddenly that it wasn’t the thread that cut him: it was the pain of severing thousands of death’s tendrils that had wormed into Vegeta’s flesh. Each inch higher he moved, more black, stringy muck tore free of Vegeta’s shredded flesh. But Vegeta could hear his name clearly now, feel the molten touch of his demon. Vegeta thought maybe, eventually, he would be able to see his demon’s face if he kept climbing through the gloom, his body an aching mass of torn connections, each one trying to heal and reattach him to life.

The light savaged his eyes after so much climbing in the darkness. Years of climbing. A lifetime of climbing. Air burned in his parched throat. His body, his alive body, ached from its motionless struggle. But it was alive. The suppurating wound on his hip gnawed at him with alive pain. But he felt the only thing he cared about on his chest, partially on his shoulder: an alive inferno. A green fire that spread a plume of hot wind down Vegeta’s torso and arm. Vegeta’s mate. His only. His golden thread. Tears filled his eyes and he lifted a shaky hand to caress his love.

Piccolo came awake groggily. He hesitantly reached up onto his own head and felt Vegeta’s hand. He slid it off his head, held it tightly, then more gently, in his hand as he sat up.

“Oh thank the sweet fucking gods, they brought you back to me,” Piccolo whispered, and bent to kiss Vegeta, thrumming with the effort of making it a delicate kiss. Tears dripped onto Vegeta’s face. “I love you. I love you. A million times, I love you. Don’t leave me again, Vegeta, please don’t ever leave me again.”

“No,” was all Vegeta could croak. Then he wheezed, “Water.”

Piccolo put an ice chip in his mouth and it was heavenly. Piccolo kissed him everywhere and vacillated between crying and laughing. He kissed Vegeta again and again, feeding him ice chips. He held Vegeta’s hands tightly, as if that alone could keep Vegeta from falling into the darkness again.

“How long?” Vegeta said, his voice a harsh whisper.

“Ten days.”

“Fuck,” Vegeta coughed.

“Everyone thought you were going to die, but I knew you wouldn’t leave me. Because you know. You know what torture that would be for me. Your heart stopped yesterday and they told me to stop doing CPR, but I didn’t. I told them you would come back to me, that you weren’t ready. That no matter what I’d done, you wouldn't leave me.”

“I was ready, but I heard you. You said my name. You said I had to come back for our babies.”

Piccolo’s smile was sad and he nodded through his tears. “You don’t get to quit, Vegeta. I know I fucked up and I know I’ve made you miserable. But I’m done with that. I’m done. You’re mine and I’m going to take care of you. No more pain. No more jealousy. No more humiliation. Just love. Just all my love, okay?”

Vegeta nodded, his throat still burning. “My wound?”

“That’s how I knew you decided to come back to me. It was so terrible and it wouldn’t stop bleeding, but whenever I whispered your name, it got a tiny bit better. So I called and called, even when I slept, I was calling to you in my dreams. It’s not all healed up, but it’s better. I’m going to do better. There’s no more terrible black tendrils. You were almost all black when Talon brought you to the Lookout. He saved you.”

Vegeta searched Piccolo’s chi for malice or jealousy or the ominous, terrifying feeling that preceded Piccolo hurting him—but there was only love. Maybe Piccolo hadn’t just been saying that. Maybe he meant it. Vegeta’s wound pulsed pleasantly for the first time in weeks. He whispered, “Those tendrils were death, Piccolo. They were death, pulling me down. I can’t…I can’t survive it again. Do you understand? The mark, the ritual: hurting one’s mate on purpose is anathema to it. It doesn’t make sense to the mark. It kills it, and the mark makes my entirety yours. So if you kill the mark, you kill me.”

Piccolo held his mouth with his hand. He nodded and said, “I know, my love. My mate. My husband. But I didn’t see until this how much power it is. I didn’t use it benevolently.” Piccolo kissed him gently. “But I almost died with you, Vegeta. I couldn’t bear your suffering, and knowing that I did this to you was the worst. Never again. I won’t make you suffer again.”

Vegeta wrapped his arms around Piccolo, held him, and wished that he never had to let go.

* * *

The next day, Talon brought Bulma up to the Lookout. Vegeta assumed this was just a show of their coupledom, some kind of fucked up effort at reassuring Piccolo, because it stung Vegeta to see them to together.

Bulma smacked his shoulder and said, “Don’t do that again, you jerk, I wish you wouldn’t scare us all like that. But good news for your bed sores and atrophied muscles—I built a healing pod from the specs you gave me a while ago. Now we aren’t so dependent on Dende and senzu beans. How are you feeling?”

Vegeta felt so weak and so wrung out, that it burned to see either of his former loves alone, but together, in love, it incinerated him. He wanted them to leave. He said, “Tired for someone who’s been asleep for nearly two weeks.”

“Well, whenever you’re ready, Piccolo can bring you down and we’ll fix you up,” Bulma said cheerfully. She held Talon’s hand. They were already a ‘we.’ Vegeta’s stomach threatened to expel the water that had been the only thing he’d managed to put in himself.

“Thank you, Bulma,” Vegeta said.

Piccolo must’ve sensed his distress because he said, “Alright, that’s plenty for him for one day. I’ll bring him down tomorrow morning. I don’t want to move him yet.”

Once they were gone, Vegeta grumbled, “Do I really have bed sores?” to focus on something tangible. Something that had a solution.

“No. I moved you constantly, kept your muscles active, so you shouldn’t even have that much rehab.”

“Thank you.”

“Fuck, Vegeta, it’s the very least I can do. How are you, aside from tired?”

Vegeta’s eyes raked over Piccolo. He was disheveled. No shirt, crusted blood all over his chest and filthy pants. Vegeta wanted him anyway. Wanted him more, seeing that he had likely never left Vegeta’s side. But Dende arrived to check on Vegeta. The Kami asked Piccolo to leave, but Vegeta clung to Piccolo’s hand.

Dende said firmly, “Just you, Vegeta. He’ll be right outside. Right back.”

Vegeta felt even weaker once Piccolo wasn’t holding his hand. He trembled. Dende said softly, “Do you want me to excise the mark, Vegeta? If he won’t stop, it will kill you. It did kill you, you’re just too stubborn to stay dead.”

Vegeta burst into tears. “No, fuck, no! I’d rather die.”

“Are you sure? It’s not right, what he did to you. It’s horrible, Vegeta. And he said it wasn’t the first time he’d hurt you like that.”

“No. I’d rather die. I know it’s not right. My body knows. Our pair-bond knows. But my heart doesn’t care. It lives for him, no matter how he hurts me.”

“Gods, Vegeta, I wish I could excise _that._ ”

“I don’t. I wouldn’t trade my love for him for anything. Not for my life, even.”

Dende sighed. “If I have to heal you from something like that again, I’ll remove it. I won’t tolerate it, even if you will.”

“He won’t. He’s changed.”

“Oh, Vegeta, every abused partner has said that. That’s how they end up dead. You almost ended up dead.”

“I believe him. I believe that he’s changed. I never believed before.”

“Do you think your belief will save you the next time he’s jealous?”

“No, but he feels different.”

“Very well. I’ll send him back in if you wish to stay mated.”

“I do.”

Dende glared at Piccolo as he returned and said, “Don’t squander this opportunity, Piccolo. I better not see him back here. You don’t deserve the chances he’s given you already. And be wary, I see Kami’s hand in this. I can feel his unhappiness at being subjugated. He’ll try to destroy you—and there is no better path than the one lying in that bed.”

Piccolo looked stunned by Dende’s harsh words and Vegeta realized that Dende must’ve been waiting to see if Vegeta survived to unleash his disdain.

“Hey, come here,” Vegeta said, reaching weakly for Piccolo.

Piccolo turned from Dende and gripped Vegeta’s hand. His eyes were red, raw, and brimming with tears. He searched Vegeta’s eyes. He breathed, “Vegeta?”

“Piccolo, I would never do that.”

Piccolo pulled Vegeta gently into his arms. “I wouldn’t blame you, if you did, my love.”

“No. No. I can’t breathe without you. Let’s go home. Fuck the healing pod. I just want to go home and be in bed with you again.”

Piccolo kissed him. “You sure your ready?”

Vegeta swung his legs out of the bed and stood. He felt woozy, but it wasn’t as if he’d be flying alone. He said quietly, “You can carry me?”

“Forever, if need be,” Piccolo said and swept Vegeta up in his arms.

Vegeta smirked as they dropped toward the Earth. “Well, let’s hope it’s just a few days.”

Piccolo nuzzled him, kissed him deeply, and grinned. “I might still pick you up, even when you aren’t convalescing from my abuse.”

Vegeta’s face fell. He touched Piccolo’s jaw. “Don’t call it that, you make it sound like a pattern.”

“It was a pattern. But I’ve broken it. You’ll see. I’m not hurting you ever again.”

Vegeta swallowed hard, thinking about what Dende had said to him. He hoped he wasn’t being a fool, but he thought he’d be dead either way, and at least staying with Piccolo offered some hope of a life together, love together. Excising the mark meant eternal loneliness, if not death. Talon’s lopsided smile rose in his mind, but then the image of Talon’s elegant fingers laced with Bulma’s shattered that. He pushed Talon and his love for Talon away. Vegeta believed Piccolo had changed. Could change. Vegeta had, hadn’t he?

* * *

Vegeta took Bulma up on her offer of the new healing pod, though he didn’t think it would do anything for the nagging, lingering suppuration around his mating wound. He thought only one thing might fix that, and it still filled him with too much terror and dread to even contemplate.

The woman had done an excellent job and when he emerged after a mere afternoon, he felt strong again, ready to train. Full-blooded. But he had been right about his mark. When he contemplated the potential cure, a new split developed, blood dripping down his hip and quad.

Talon came in as Vegeta stared down at the renewed bleeding.

Talon said, “Gods! Sorry, Vegeta, I thought you’d still be in there. Fuck, you heal fast.” Talon turned his eyes reluctantly away.

Vegeta stepped into his shorts and found a bandage to press to the mark. “Nothing you haven’t seen, Talon.”

“There’s about fifteen kilos of muscle I’ve never seen.”

Vegeta chuckled and started cleaning the tank. “Did you need something or were you just coming to ogle me while I healed?” Vegeta said it with a smirk. Why was he flirting with Talon? It was madness. He thought he understood and hated it. Hated that his mark closed up a little.

Talon blushed. “Bulma, she, uh, she sent me to get her laptop. She forgot it here earlier.” He picked up the computer, as if to wield proof that he hadn’t meant to see Vegeta in the nude.

“And how has that been going? Have you invited her to the sacred table?”

Talon’s cheeks turned an even deeper shade of red. “With everything going on with you, the, uh, the moment hasn’t been right. She was pretty upset. Pretty scared.”

Vegeta snorted. “She would be well rid of me. Foolish woman. And you, Talon? Were you scared?”

Talon looked up, his eyes smoldering. “Yes, I was scared, despite how much you’ve pissed me off. My fear turned to rage at Piccolo. Whatever he did to you. To even be able to do it to…to…to his mate, of all people! It’s upsetting, Vegeta. So yeah. I was upset. I am upset. But Piccolo seems to be trying now, actually trying. Trying to get over his absurd jealousy, since it’s clear you love him unconditionally. I don’t think you ever loved me like that.”

Vegeta felt near to crying and wished he hadn’t started this conversation. “Do you…do you think someone can change? That he can change?”

Talon sighed heavily. Tearfully. “Vegeta, honestly, I wanted shit to implode with you two. I want you back. Badly. But after I saw what…what happened. I would never want you to go through anything like that again, and you’d have to, to be with me. But when he saw, when he understood that he’d done that you: he changed. He looked haunted, like he’d finally grasped the gravity of his crimes against you, whatever they were. That he had done that to you. That he maybe killed you. So I don’t want to say that he’s changed, that he’s not gonna do whatever fucked up thing he did to poison you, but…I think he did. As much as a person can change, anyway.” Talon shrugged. He held the laptop. He stepped toward Vegeta, softly kissed his cheek, and whispered, “I’m so glad you’re alive, Vegeta, even if it brings home that I’ll never have you. I love you. I always will,” and fled toward Bulma’s lab.

Vegeta stood in shock for a long moment, touching his cheek, before he checked his mark: it was closed up. Talon’s words had closed it up. As he prodded it, Piccolo came in, and it split back open with the surge of nervous fear.

“Hey, sexy! You’re out already, huh? Did Talon get you out?” Piccolo said jovially, then more tentatively bent and kissed Vegeta.

Vegeta searched Piccolo’s face, his chi, for the dark fury that had always accompanied Talon’s presence in the past. If it was there, Vegeta couldn’t sense it. He kissed Piccolo a little more and said, “No. He was getting Bulma’s laptop. I got myself out and was cleaning up. Since my wound didn’t heal up the tank is gross. The normal filtration process isn't designed for prolonged bleeding, since it heals open wounds, typically.”

Piccolo’s face fell as he saw the blood-soaked bandage Vegeta was pressing to his hip. “Do you need a hand?”

“I’m done cleaning, just shutting everything down. Do you want to go train?”

“Do you feel up to that? How’s your husband-inflicted misery?”

Vegeta winced and snapped, “Stop saying that. I don’t like it. It’s not amusing for me.”

Piccolo frowned. “Sorry. I feel like I should own what I did.”

“It’s humiliating. That’s worse than any physical damage—the fucking humiliation. I was humiliated before I knew you drunkenly forgot. Everything that night, the good, the bad, the shameful, was for you. I debased myself to prove my devotion to you, and you were blacked out. So it meant nothing. But at least I could take solace in no one knowing of my humiliation…what you did to me, what I offered you—“ Vegeta trembled, the wound pulsing out blood, “then to take me to Dende, to humiliate me further by…by…by violating me again! Just to…to…to see how pathetic I was. How weak. How…fucking servile!” Vegeta wiped his eyes and took a deep breath. “So how about if you must ask at all, which I would prefer you didn’t, you just ask out how ‘it’ is. Or better yet, don’t fucking ask! Now, I’m going to train. Alone.” Vegeta stormed off to the gravity room.

Piccolo followed and gently grabbed Vegeta’s hand. “Hey. Okay. That’s fine. I can do that,” he said softly and pulled Vegeta toward him. “Hey, can I try again? How are you? I missed you.”

Vegeta softened. He grumbled, “I’m okay. I feel rusty. Worthless. Sorry I snapped.”

“Don’t be sorry,” Piccolo bent and whispered, “Can I?”

“Always,” Vegeta murmured against his demon’s lips. “I missed you, too. Thanks for holding the thread, for bringing me out of the darkness.” Vegeta tensed; he hadn’t told Piccolo about his painful climb back out of death. He didn’t want to right now, it was too near, too visceral.

Piccolo sensed his reticence, and said nothing, just kissed him more. He held Vegeta and whispered, “I never thought you were pathetic, or servile. I just hated myself for treating you that way, for making you think you had to do that to keep my love. The only pathetic person was me. For making you feel that way.”

“I don’t want to talk about this anymore, ever. I still feel disgusting,” Vegeta said and turned away.

“Okay, you’re not, but okay. Do you want a sparring partner?”

Vegeta didn’t want to upset Piccolo, but he was so weak, he thought sparring with his mate right then might add to the humiliation of the entire fiasco.

Piccolo added, “I haven’t trained in a month, between pregnancy and recovery…and my bad behavior.”

“Fine, but I’m tired, so don’t wreck me. And don’t tell anyone, ever, that I said that.”

Piccolo brightened and held Vegeta’s hand as they walked to the GR. Piccolo said, “How is it?”

“Not healed, obviously, since you can see I’m a blood-stained mess. Still shockingly painful at times.”

“Vegeta…if there’s anything you think would help, please tell me. I’ll do anything. I’m so sorry. I love you.”

Vegeta pulled Piccolo down and kissed him. He pulled Piccolo’s tall, broad body against his, rising up off the ground. He hooked his fingers in the waist of Piccolo’s pants and looked at his demon’s wound. It was completely healed. Vegeta didn’t understand the strange magic at work, but he got distracted as Piccolo responded enthusiastically to Vegeta touching his pants.

“Sorry, Vegeta, I—“

Vegeta grabbed his jaw and growled, “Don’t apologize for getting hard for me. I want you to get hard for me,” then kissed his demon roughly, rolled his hips against Piccolo’s.

Piccolo’s eyebrows were up and he said, “We could always start our training with a little warm up…if you’re hard too?”

Vegeta was hard. Very hard. He smirked against Piccolo’s mouth. “This is why we’re terrible training partners. Let’s go to our room.”

“Or the best training partners,” Piccolo rasped against Vegeta’s ear and swept him up in his long arms. Vegeta kissed his demon unabashedly for what seemed like the first time in an eternity.

Piccolo laid Vegeta on the bed and he dropped his mouth onto Vegeta’s wound, licking it gently, then sucking it. He continued alternating between sucking and licking until Vegeta was panting. Piccolo whispered, “Does that make it feel any better?”

“Yes, gods, yes. But it’s not helping my hard-on feel any better.”

“I’ll get to that. Don’t you worry.”

Vegeta’s wound did feel better, but he could tell that it was superficial: it wasn’t actually healing. He whispered, feeling ashamed, “My demon…Piccolo, it’s not…it’s not healing it.”

Piccolo pulled back and looked, touching it softly with his fingertips. His brow furrowed deeply and he met Vegeta’s eyes. “Vegeta? Do you…do you know how to fix this and you’re not telling me?”

Vegeta tried not to let his gaze drop. “I have my suspicions. But I can’t…I can’t even contemplate it yet. Especially because if it went poorly I think it would be the end. Of me, I mean, not us. Though I guess my death is the end of us.”

Piccolo clasped his hand over his mouth, his eyes filling. He choked out, “What do you think will heal it?”

“I think…I think…I have to let you…let you…” Vegeta didn’t want to sob just saying it. He paused. Took a long, shuddering breath. “I think I have to bottom for you again. Successfully.”

“Successfully? You mean without me hurting you?”

“I think so. I think I probably have to come too. I…I have a hard time even thinking about anything, anywhere near me, but…” Vegeta trembled and stopped speaking so he wouldn’t cry. He was tired of feeling like such a child, crying about everything.

“I know. You don’t have to explain. Fuck, Vegeta, I don’t know how to begin earning your trust back. I was a monster. And it’s fine if you never want me near your perfect ass again.”

“I do…I do want you again. I just don’t know how to not be scared.”

Piccolo pulled Vegeta into his lap. He thought for a while then said, “What if I just do all external stuff for a while, and only when you want it, when you ask. Then if you ever feel like you want something inside you, you can do it until you’re comfortable. And maybe eventually…if you want, and I mean that wholeheartedly, only if you want, I can try being the one. Try being a giver again, instead of a taker.”

Vegeta nodded, but he was quivering. He hated himself. He hid his face, but Piccolo gently took his hands away and kissed Vegeta, his lips moving to open Vegeta’s mouth and calm him. He whispered, “And I won’t do anything without you asking.”

“I like _you_ asking, it turns me on when you ask. Since I’m more of a giver…it feels…I feel ashamed to ask for anything like that. But…I need you to be okay if I say no. And you might have to try—not physically—try persistently, asking. I don’t know when I’ll feel ready.”

Piccolo kissed him more, his thumbs dropping down onto Vegeta’s nipples. “I can do all of that. Do you ever want me to, you know, warm you up to the idea, like I’ve done in the past? Or should I just ask? Sometimes you like it when I heat you up…at least…fuck…I hope you weren’t just…acquiescing.”

“No, not that,” Vegeta said, cupping Piccolo’s jaw in his hand. “I sometimes do need a little convincing, but I’m too gun-shy now. I need to be able to just say no and relax, otherwise I’ll be so tense that nothing would ever work or feel good. You can always ask me again if you think you’ve changed my mind with excellent head or something,” Vegeta said the last part with a smirk.

Piccolo smiled and pushed Vegeta onto his back with kisses. “And would you tell me, my love, what qualifies as excellent head?”

“Ha, I’d be better at showing you, I think.”

“Not right now, right now you’re mine. You can save your sucking skills for later,” Piccolo whispered against Vegeta’s skin. It shamed Vegeta that he’d lost his hard-on talking about sex; something that never used to happen. But within a few seconds, it had returned.

Piccolo’s hot mouth felt amazing. Vegeta was hornier than he’d realized and he ached to come, but he also wanted it to last forever it felt so good. Piccolo swirled his tongue around the tip and whispered, “I won’t touch your ass, my love, but can I use my tongue on your taint some?”

Vegeta’s first reaction was irritation that Piccolo was trying already to get to his ass. But as Piccolo sucked on him, licked him, kissed all over his belly, Vegeta softened. Perhaps Piccolo just wanted to lick his taint, with no plan or goal, just as part of his loving. Piccolo certainly seemed to be enjoying licking and sucking on Vegeta. His demon reached his wound, licked it carefully. Then he whispered, “I love that you’re mine, Vegeta. I can’t wait for our babies.”

Vegeta grinned. He couldn’t wait either. He needed to be healed for them. To be whole. To be properly mated to Piccolo. For his babies. His babies with his mate, his husband, his love. He shook a little as he finally answered, “Yes, you can lick my taint…my ass too…if you want it.”

Piccolo gripped Vegeta’s thighs, kissing the inside of each, and he murmured, “Vegeta, I always want to eat your ass. I love it.” He tipped Vegeta’s hips up, and bent to suck his balls, his hand moving smoothly up and down Vegeta’s shaft.

He slid his hot tongue down the cleft of Vegeta’s balls, then firmly onto his taint. He massaged it with his tongue until Vegeta was clinging to his demon’s head with both hands and his thighs. Piccolo’s hand moved relentlessly on his prick.

Vegeta’s eyes slid open and he watched Piccolo’s hips surge against the bed. Vegeta gasped, “Piccolo, you feel so good. But I want to watch you come while I come.”

Piccolo got on his knees, held his upper body up aloft and Vegeta was glad again for their strength. Piccolo began stroking himself and Vegeta groaned as he watched pre-cum drip from his demon. Piccolo gasped, “Watch me, my love, my life, come with me.”

Piccolo jerked himself roughly even as he kept his hand on Vegeta smoother and slower, but he pushed deeper and harder with his tongue on Vegeta’s taint. “Fuck, my demon! Ah!” He came hard, before Piccolo, but his climax set his demon off. Vegeta watched with renewed arousal as Piccolo’s cum splattered on the bed.

Piccolo maintained the pressure on Vegeta’s taint until he stopped spasming. Then his tongue slid delicately onto the edge of Vegeta’s asshole. He clenched, but tried to consciously relax.

Vegeta felt suddenly overwhelmed with emotion, with desire, with a need to move past all the horror of the past few weeks. He whispered, “I…I’ll open for you. I’ll let you, if you swear you won’t hurt me.”

“I swear, Vegeta, I swear on my life. I’m so sorry for all I’ve done to you.”

Vegeta breathed deeply and let himself be in the moment with Piccolo, to only feel what his demon was doing that very second, not what had been done. Vegeta wanted to dissolve that night in acid, make new memories that could cover up the bits and pieces that might remain of that horrible night; of others less egregious.

Piccolo groaned as Vegeta let his tension go, let his fear go. Vegeta groaned too, the nerves of his bud connecting electrically with Piccolo’s curling, teasing tongue. Piccolo paused to spit on his hand and Vegeta heaved for breath at the effort of not tensing, but then Piccolo’s spit-slick hand was on Vegeta’s dick again, nowhere near his ass. Piccolo murmured, “I’ll ask, I promise. No surprises. No force. No demands.”

“Except that I come for you?” Vegeta asked with a half-smile.

“I’ll always demand that, my love. Always. No matter how spent you are. And you will, because you love me.”

“I do love you,” Vegeta groaned as he threw his head back with ecstasy. Piccolo rimmed him and it wasn’t soft or tentative, but it wasn’t aggressive. It was insistent and Vegeta thought that it felt almost…supportive…like Piccolo’s tongue was cheering Vegeta’s ass on, like it knew Vegeta’s knot could do anything, take anything, if it wanted.

The mental image made Vegeta smile. It also made him ache to try, but he thought that might be too much too soon. But when he mentally denied his urge, he felt a deep, painful throb in his wound, a jet of blood pulsing out through the bandage. Piccolo was so intent on his rimming that he didn’t notice. Vegeta tried to keep his voice steady as he stammered, “I…I want to try…I think I can.”

Piccolo popped up, looking dazed, and a little confused. “Like sixty-nine? Because I’m pretty happy right where I am.”

“No, I mean, yes, if you want…but I meant, I mean…I want more.”

Piccolo’s eyebrows furrowed with concern. “There’s no rush, Vegeta. Is what I’m doing feeling good? It’s turning me on so much, but I want you to feel good.”

“Yes…I want it.”

Piccolo didn’t argue, but he pulled Vegeta’s hand down and maneuvered his body so Vegeta could touch himself. He swallowed hard. “I…I think I’d rather if you did it, Piccolo.”

Piccolo made a face as he came out from between Vegeta’s legs again. He said, “Stop interrupting me. If you want it, do it, if not, let me rim you until I come, because I’m super close.”

“Won’t you do it? Please? I want you. That’s how we fix it.”

“Not if you’re still scared. That fixes nothing. And I’m personally offended that you’ve never fucked your own ass. How did you survive before you got the nerve up to kiss me? Didn’t you fantasize about me while doing this?”

“Piccolo! No! I jerked off. That’s how I dealt with it. Power-top, remember?”

“Then I’m teaching you a new skill,” Piccolo sucked on Vegeta’s fingers, slathering them with spit. “Let me have a last taste, a last feel of how you’re twitching, then I’ll suck your prick while you do your ass.” Piccolo bent and took more than one last tour of Vegeta’s asshole. He moved back onto Vegeta’s taint, his balls, and his dick, and he moved Vegeta’s fingers onto his knot.

Vegeta touched it hesitantly. He moved his fingers as he would on Piccolo’s ass. He moaned, then felt ashamed, until Piccolo gasped against his hip, near his wound, “Oh, gods, yes, my love. Find your sweet spots.”

“Fuck, Piccolo, I’m not even inside yet.”

“That’s not the goal. You coming hard is the goal, whether anything is in your ass is fucking irrelevant.” Piccolo licked up the blood around Vegeta’s wound before moving up Vegeta’s chest to suck his nipple.

“Ah! Piccolo! You’re going to make me come too soon!”

“What should I do if I can’t suck your nipples? Should I suck that beautiful prick of yours? I’m afraid that might make you come too soon, too. Or you could just stop worrying about when you come, unless I tell you to come.”

Vegeta moved his fingers more aggressively, dipped the tip of one inside himself, and gasped, “Piccolo…I want you. I want to feel good with you again. I want to trust you again. This will get me off, but…it won’t…it won’t…” He trailed off, his pleasure becoming too intense.

Piccolo slid his hand down Vegeta’s arm and place his hand over Vegeta’s. He let Vegeta guide them, Piccolo’s hand moving as one with Vegeta’s until Vegeta was opening for penetration, aching for it. Vegeta pulled his hand away and said, “Yes, I want it. I need it. You.”

“You sure, my love?”

“Please, Piccolo, please!”

Piccolo inched inside Vegeta, growling low in his throat. His hips raged against the bed and Vegeta loved watching the taut flex of his demon’s thrusting ass. And then he realized that he needed it. He needed all of Piccolo inside him so badly that he thought he might fall into the abyss without it.

“Piccolo,” he breathed, pulling Piccolo’s face up to his, kissing his mouth fervently, “Piccolo, gods, I need it.”

“Yes? Deeper?”

“No, I mean, yes, but I need your dick. I have to have it. Now.”

Piccolo looked nervous. “Vegeta, I think…that’s a lot to—“

“I want you to fuck my ass. I’m barely holding on. So lube up your beautiful fucking dick and let me guide it in, because I can’t wait. I need it. Now, my demon.”

Piccolo’s face shifted through so many expressions, but settled on lust. Burning, fiery lust, but his voice trembled and he said, “I’m so scared I’ll hurt you. I’m so big, Vegeta.”

“We’ll use the whole bottle of lube, but you’ll see. I’m ready. I’m aching. Please, hurry, hurry, hurry. I’m practically gaping I’m so ready for you.”

Piccolo’s slit poured pre-cum at Vegeta’s words. Vegeta gripped his demon’s huge cock after Piccolo slathered it with lube. He pressed it tight against his bud. He opened himself, panting, and helped Piccolo slide inside him, commanding him to add lube as he went, but mostly groaning with deep, animal pleasure.

Once Piccolo was in him to the hilt, they moaned together as Vegeta gave him a welcoming squeeze. Piccolo cried out, “Fuck, Vegeta, you feel so fucking good on my dick. I love being inside you. You okay? No pain?”

“No, you’re perfect. Slow though, fuck me slow. Savor me. You feel so good inside me, so don’t rush. Let it build.”

Piccolo curled over him, trembling, and kissed Vegeta deeply. “I’ll do anything for you, Vegeta, anything. I love you so much. Thank you for letting me inside you. You’re my everything.”

Piccolo surged in and out of Vegeta, adding lube, watching Vegeta’s face intently. He caressed Vegeta’s cheek as he bent to take his mouth again, but then his hand slid down Vegeta’s belly onto his cock. He squeezed his fist down over the tip, back up. He gradually, slowly, languidly fucked Vegeta’s prick with his hand.

Vegeta growled, “I need you so deep, Piccolo. I want to come when you’re so deep inside me.”

“Me too, my love, me too,” Piccolo rasped and drove deeply into Vegeta as he commanded, “Come for me now, Vegeta, let your sweet ass milk me home.”

Vegeta erupted into super-Saiyan and hot pulses of cum splattered his chest and Piccolo’s, but his real pleasure came as his ass gripped and squeezed Piccolo’s thrumming cock. The power of Piccolo’s orgasm turned Vegeta on so much that he knew they weren’t done. They might rest a moment, but he needed more from Piccolo. Then his mark began to pulse hotly, pleasantly, and Vegeta threw his head back, bucked harder against Piccolo. He couldn’t even decide if he felt rapture or agony, but he loved it.

Piccolo’s final throes shuddered through him and he slowly pulled out, slid down Vegeta’s body, and sucked hard on Vegeta’s mark. Vegeta’s pleasure redoubled and he cried out, “Fuck, Piccolo, oh fuck, that feels so…ah!” and Vegeta came in another long burst, barely missing Piccolo’s pointed ear. Piccolo pushed smoothly inside him again as he came and he wailed with ecstasy. Then Piccolo groaned deeply and Vegeta felt his demon come again too.

Piccolo gasped, looking into Vegeta’s eyes, “Okay, no pain?”

Vegeta shook his head. “No, only intense fucking pleasure.”

Piccolo hummed happily and kissed Vegeta's eyelids, ran his long fingers through Vegeta’s golden hair. “I’ll never get tired of fucking you so good you go super-Saiyan.”

“Gods, I’ll never get tired of it either, though I might get tired afterwards.” He sat up on his elbows to kiss Piccolo more. “You felt amazing. Thank you for letting me boss you around. Sorry I did exactly the opposite of what I thought I’d do.”

Piccolo kissed over his jaw, tilting his head back to get to his neck, “Don’t apologize. I will take orders from you any day, my prince. I just want you to feel good again…safe.” Piccolo took a deep breath and pushed his face into Vegeta’s shoulder. “I want you to be able to trust me again, so you can have that. So thank you. Thank you for putting yourself out there.”

They shifted so they could cuddle and Piccolo’s hand kept trailing back to the mark until Vegeta sat up see it. It wasn’t entirely healed, but it looked like a clean wound, not an angry, infected horror.

“Mmm…that was wonderful. It feels so good to fuck without being upset or angry or scared,” Vegeta said.

Piccolo was sucking on his chest more enthusiastically as he murmured, “It does. And it feels worlds better not to have my partner upset or angry or scared of me. It’s such a relief to just turn you on.”

Vegeta gave him a lopsided grin. “You did do that.” But Vegeta shook as he asked, “And…you’re okay? You didn’t…you didn’t feel the urge…to…to…to hurt me?”

“Oh, gods, no, Vegeta, no. Not even a tiny bit. This was a gift, unexpected and wonderful and undeserved. I didn’t want to hurt you.”

“Will you…will you tell me? If you do? So we can try to work through it? So it doesn’t go so far as it did last time?”

“If I feel that way again, I will do anything to work through it safely, carefully, so you don’t get hurt.”

“You acted like you didn’t want to, before, you know, when you...when you…” Vegeta trailed off, swallowed hard.

“Raped you.” Piccolo whispered, tipping Vegeta’s face up to meet his eyes.

“You didn’t rape me—“

“Vegeta, I pushed numerous parts of my body inside you while you begged me not to. It feels so gross that I did that to you, but I don’t want you to have to sugarcoat it for me. I don’t want to make light of what I did.”

Vegeta tried to turn away and hide his face, but Piccolo held him. He kissed Vegeta softly and murmured, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

“It’s hard to hear it called that.”

“I know. I’m so sorry, my love.”

Vegeta felt himself withdrawing into the place he’d gone to hide from Piccolo-induced pain. But Piccolo was still inside him and his face turned red and he caressed Vegeta’s face. “Oh, Vegeta, I’m sorry. Do you…should I?”

Vegeta held his breath, felt what he really wanted. He smirked at Piccolo and rolled his hips. “No. You should stop talking about the past and fuck me so good again.”

Piccolo’s face split in a wide grin and he kissed Vegeta exuberantly as he growled, “I don’t deserve you, but gods, I love you.”


	7. Just Peachy

Vegeta stretched in bed the next morning, feeling better than he had since Talon’s arrival. He was between Piccolo’s legs, his head on Piccolo’s belly. He gripped Piccolo’s flanks and kissed up the split in his eight-pack, causing a smile to creep onto Piccolo’s face as Vegeta slid up his body. Piccolo grabbed his ass and pulled him up for a kiss.

“Last night was amazing, Vegeta, it felt like a dream.”

Vegeta smiled into his kiss and groaned, “Yes, it was. I’m still buzzed from your excellent fucking.”

“We never did get around to training.”

“We do struggle with this pattern of behavior.”

“I love the struggle,” Piccolo said, grinning into a kiss.

“Do you want to train today?”

“Vegeta, I will never choose training over staying in bed loving you all day.”

“Fine, _should_ we go train so I don’t go to fat?”

“You’re not going to fat—I promise I’ll keep your heart rate up a good portion of the day.”

Vegeta kissed Piccolo more. His hard-on was pressed against Piccolo’s _theadur_ and Piccolo was panting, rolling his hips toward Vegeta. Vegeta whispered, “Do you want me?”

“Fuck, yes, my love.”

Vegeta plunged into Piccolo and he gasped, “I want…I want to stay in all day. I want you. I want to heal. I want it to be okay.”

“Anything, Vegeta, anything you want. I’ll do anything you think will help. We could play like we did on our honeymoon. That was so hot.”

Vegeta nodded, but he quickly lost himself in fucking Piccolo, in the tight velvet grip of him on Vegeta’s cock. Piccolo threw his legs over Vegeta’s shoulders and begged for Vegeta to fuck him harder, faster, deeper. Vegeta clamped his hands tightly on Piccolo’s thighs and growled, “Well, I have to get my workout somehow,” and began pounding Piccolo until they were glowing and moaning.

As they were trembling with aftershocks. Piccolo trailed his hands up and down Vegeta’s back. He circled his fingers around Vegeta’s tail scar and probed it. He purred, his mouth close to Vegeta’s ear, “It would have been so fun to play with your tail, if the way you squirm when I touch the scar is any indication.”

“It was fun. Too bad your asshole friends cut it off.”

“I’ll have to make do touching your scar.”

Vegeta rasped, “I think I’d like you to touch something else.”

“Would you?” Piccolo said with a grin, “You might have to tell me very explicitly, or maybe you’d like to show me?”

Vegeta chuckled and slid down Piccolo’s body, flipped his legs up, and licked his ass roughly. Piccolo groaned, “Oh! You want me to lick my own ass? I’m not sure I’m flexible enough, but you’ll have to get out of my way…” Piccolo chortled at his own joke, and Vegeta laughed too, but kept rimming his demon.

“Mmm…I think I need to fuck your ass, before we do anything else, Piccolo. What do you think about me fucking your tight, delicious ass?”

“I think right now I want to sixty-nine you so I can get in your sweet ass. C’mere,” he growled and lifted Vegeta effortlessly. Vegeta chuckled and if felt so good to be easy with his demon, to be at ease. Piccolo curled up and tenderly, gently probed Vegeta’s knot with his tongue. “Fuck, Vegeta, licking you and thinking about how you gave yourself to me last night, fuck, it’s going to make me come all over you.” Vegeta’s ass twitched and Piccolo hummed, “Oh, I think you like remembering too…or maybe you just like rimming me too.”

“I do, my demon, fuck, I do.”

Vegeta was writhing so much that it was hard to give or receive a rimjob. He gasped against Piccolo’s thigh. “Fuck, Piccolo…I…I…” Vegeta was so overcome. He hadn’t thought it would be hard to ask for what he wanted, but it was.

Piccolo bit the inside of his thigh, sucked the flesh hard, and whispered, “Can I play a little? Just touch?” As soon as Vegeta nodded, Piccolo somersaulted him over onto his back, and Vegeta laughed. Piccolo spread his legs wide, and spun around. Vegeta ran his fingers over his demon’s smooth skull as Piccolo continued rimming him. Piccolo paused and kissed up his belly. His eyes sparkled and he said with a giant grin, “Before I fucked up…I got us, well, me, at least, a little something.”

Vegeta found Piccolo’s smiles contagious. He said, “What? Do I dare ask? Where do you even find these things?” He chuckled as Piccolo hopped over to their x-rated drawer.

Piccolo leapt back on the bed, and it made an ominous noise, so he froze. Their eyes widened as they waited to see if it would collapse. Piccolo whispered, “It’s a miracle it’s lasted this long.”

“We’ve replaced it six times,” Vegeta said, curling up to kiss his demon. “That memory must not have come back.”

Piccolo grunted happily, and the bed held, so he said, “So, I love eating your ass, right? But I like getting my fingers in on the action too. But then you taught me how superior lube is to spit, right?”

“Right…” Vegeta said warily.

“But lube tastes gross, so I was talking to Bulma and she said—“

“You talked to _Bulma_ about rimming me?!” Vegeta nearly shrieked, his cheeks burning with horror.

Piccolo cackled and continued, “I’m more clever than that, Vegeta. I got her to talk about rimming Talon!” He guffawed as Vegeta hid his head under a pillow, especially since Vegeta’s hard-on spilled more pre-cum the more Piccolo laughed.

Vegeta muttered from under the pillow, “And? What secrets did you learn from talking to one of my exes about eating a different ex’s ass?”

Piccolo curled over Vegeta’s body and gripped his laugh-enhanced erection. “They make flavored lube! So I got some! So I can use lube without the horrible taste of it sullying the sweet flavor of your ass.”

Vegeta peeked out from under the pillow. He raised an eyebrow and said, “Flavored? What flavor did you get?”

Piccolo’s eyes went wide. His smile faltered. “Why?”

Vegeta cried, “What? What do you mean, why? Why are you being shifty? I might want to use it too!”

“You can pick your own flavor!” Piccolo said, keeping his large hand over the label.

Vegeta lunged for the bottle and Piccolo hid it. Vegeta tickled him until it slipped free, Piccolo giggling and squirming helplessly. Vegeta laughed and said, “Peach? You picked peach?”

“See! I knew you’d make fun of me! What flavor should I have gotten? Expensive Merlot? Saiyan Cum?” Piccolo said as he snatched it back.

Vegeta laughed so hard he fell back on the bed, pulling Piccolo on top of him. “Is there much of a market for Saiyan Cum flavored lube?”

“Around this compound there certainly is,” Piccolo said, chuckling and kissing Vegeta.

“Fucking peach…” Vegeta murmured, smiling.

“Your ass is peachy.”

“Does that mean I should get kiwi for yours? Or green apple? Or spinach?”

Piccolo smiled into his fierce kiss as he growled, “You are such a fucking smart-ass.”

“You gonna see how smart my peachy ass is? See if it’s smarter with a light fruit coating?”

Piccolo pinned Vegeta’s legs up and licked him again, probed him, and rasped, “I like it just the way it is, but I do want to touch you too, see if I can’t make you beg for a little Namek in you.”

Vegeta gasped as Piccolo’s tongue worked its magic. He only licked for a long while, until Vegeta was crying out nonstop, then Piccolo whispered, “Okay if I touch?”

“Gods, yes, more, if you're of a mind to slip a peach flavored finger in me,” Vegeta answered, smirking.

Piccolo squeezed Vegeta’s ass cheeks and growled, “Oh, I am definitely of a mind.”

The smell of peaches filled the room so dramatically that both men said, “Holy shit!” in unison as they grabbed their noses. 

Vegeta laughed wildly and said, “You won’t even be able to tell whose ass you’re messing with once you put that on there!”

“Fucking humans! Do they even have a sense of smell? Good gods, it’s ridiculously overwhelming. Your ass is going to smell like a candy factory for weeks!”

“You have told me my ass is sweet.”

They couldn’t stop laughing, but Piccolo poured some on and growled, “Prepare to be aggressively rimmed so I can swallow what I’m not using so we can stop smelling it.”

“I won’t complain,” Vegeta said with another smirk.

Piccolo’s tongue was on him again and his fingers too, massaging his bud, circling it, but very deliberately not penetrating Vegeta. So he begged, “Please, Piccolo, a little, just a tiny, peachy bit. Just teasing. Gods, my demon, please, try.”

“Mmm…I love when you beg me to touch you. I’m so fucking hard.”

“Don’t say that or I’ll want you to fuck me.”

“Maybe after I tease you til you come, then I’ll fuck you, if you want a little more Namek in you.” He licked at Vegeta’s knot, his finger probing, barely entering Vegeta, and he kept his tongue swirling around it. He whispered, “Okay? Feels good?”

“Yes…” Vegeta breathed, spreading his legs wider.

Piccolo eased his finger in up to his knuckle, pulsed it, licked around it more, then his tongue traveled firmly up Vegeta’s taint, back down to the edge of his pucker. More lube drizzled on him and they laughed again at the overpowering peach scent. “Deeper okay? I’ll go slow.” Vegeta nodded and Piccolo’s finger moved gently up and down as Piccolo eased it inside him. Piccolo trailed his tongue up the underside of Vegeta’s dick.

“Can I try to make you come with just my fingers? I’ll stroke you if you want, but when I made you come with just my dick last night it was so hot. I want to feel you come on my hand like that. But I love sucking your dick too, so I’ll do whatever you want.”

Piccolo’s finger was deep inside Vegeta, tapping his p-spot and Vegeta groaned with intense pleasure, and said, “Fuck, yes, you can try, but stop if I tell you, no questions asked? Get out of me, if I ask?”

“I will. Whatever you tell me,” Piccolo whispered and he used his tongue to push hard on Vegeta’s taint. He stopped tapping his p-spot, licking him firmly instead, then he held his tongue steady as he added more pressure inside Vegeta. Milky fluid dripped out of Vegeta, though he wasn’t coming yet.

“Gods, Piccolo,” Vegeta gasped, “What are you doing to me?” He felt so full, on the brink, but Piccolo would never quite let him crest the rise of his climax. 

“Do you want me to stop?”

“No, but I want to come, I’m so close.”

“Do you want me to make you come? Do you want to come for me?”

“Please, Piccolo, no more edging. Let me…let me come. Tell me.”

“Come, Vegeta, come so hard for me. Come, my love,” Piccolo rasped and he added more pressure inside and out. Every muscle in Vegeta’s body tightened, tensed, and released in a flood of pleasure and power. The rippling convulsions of his ass on Piccolo’s finger filled him with such intense relief that tears spilled out of his eyes. He had no pain, no fear, only bliss, and his powerful release.

Piccolo sucked hard on his wound and it extended Vegeta’s orgasm, more cum spilled out of him, and Piccolo made a guttural noise and Vegeta saw his demon was coming too. Seeing Piccolo’s semen jet out of him made Vegeta groan and clench a few more times.

Piccolo pulled off his wound and gasped, “Gods, Vegeta, your ass, do you feel how it’s gripping me? I love you, my mate, my love, my husband.” Piccolo sucked the wound hard again.

Vegeta felt it healing, felt more of the sickness drain away. He knew it wasn’t the same as trusting Piccolo again, but it meant he could, eventually. It was like light on a path to that trust.

Piccolo sat up a little and saw the tears streaming out of Vegeta’s eyes. He cried out, “Oh, shit, Vegeta! I’m so sorry! Did I hurt you?” His demon burst into tears.

“No! No, just relief. I’m just relieved, not hurt. Not sad.”

Piccolo whispered, “Ready for me to pull out?”

“Yeah, slow, careful.”

Piccolo started to move and groaned, “Oh fuck, it’s making me hard again, Vegeta, I shouldn’t have watched. Also, gods, so much peach. Your ass will smell like peaches until you’re eighty.”

“I hope you rim me a few more times before then and get the last of it. Fuck, you’re making me hard again too,” Vegeta panted as Piccolo slipped out of him completely. He squirmed and pulled Piccolo’s face to him, kissed him deeply. “Mmm…so peachy.”

“I think we might need a shower. And clean sheets. And an enema.”

Vegeta laughed as Piccolo hopped out of bed and threw Vegeta over his shoulder. He bit Vegeta’s ass cheek and growled “Mmm…can I mark you again? Is that allowed? Because this,” he bit again, not quite breaking skin, but hard, “this spot is my weakness. When you let me take you from behind, I always wish I was flexible enough to bite you here while I fuck you.”

“Well, what are dildos for if not ass-biting while fucking?”

Piccolo sucked on the spot with a groan. “Holy shit, Vegeta, if you’re offering…”

Vegeta reared up and twisted. He tried to see Piccolo’s crotch and said, “Is just talking about putting a dildo in me making you hard?”

“Just seeing you makes me hard, but biting your ass and talking about toys on our way to shower? Of course I’m fucking hard. Super hard. And so are you, if my shoulder doesn’t lie, Vegeta.”

Vegeta moved acrobatically to kiss him and Piccolo let him slide down his body. They stumbled, kissing, into the shower. Piccolo pinned Vegeta against the wall, his feet off the ground, so he could kiss all over Vegeta’s body without bending down. Vegeta pulled his mouth up. “Let me soap up so I stop smelling like a five year old’s idea of perfume. It’s too peachy.”

“I’ll have to commission Bulma to make Saiyan Cum flavored lube. You know she’d do it, though she’d probably want to get the taste samples herself.”

Vegeta gave Piccolo a smirk as he soaped himself. He decided to give Piccolo’s new anger management skills a test. “That woman did like sucking my dick.”

“Seems to be unanimous feeling around this compound.”

“Mmm…True. Talon also liked sucking me off, but you, my demon, are the best. Superb. Without compare.”

Piccolo nuzzled Vegeta’s neck and whispered, “I think you’re just trying to get a blow job.”

“If you were less amazing, I wouldn’t always want one.”

“I do enjoy sucking your dick, but I have something else in mind, though I suppose it’s not mutually exclusive with dick-sucking.”

Vegeta jumped onto his hips, wrapping his legs tightly around Piccolo, then used his weight to swing him under the water. He murmured, rinsing himself, “Oh? And does the something else involve your vast collection of toys?”

“Vast? I don’t know if it’s vast. Though I am always adding to it.”

“You avoided my question.”

“Were you serious? Can I?”

“Fuck me with a dildo so you can bite my ass while doing so?” Vegeta asked with a grin.

“Yes…” Piccolo said, a helpless smile spreading on his reddening face.

“Sure. Sounds fun, though I don’t know about another mark. I don’t even know if it would work the same, and certainly not with a dildo. Maybe after a passionate _theadur_ fucking…”

“No, but I can suck on your perfect ass and bite _kind_ of hard, right?” Piccolo said, his eyes so hopeful it made Vegeta’s heart ache.

“Sounds hot to me,” he answered, kissing Piccolo’s mouth and grinning more.

Piccolo hurried them through the rest of their shower, doing an especially thorough job of cleaning Vegeta’s ass and cock, to the point that he came again in the steam. Piccolo caressed Vegeta’s mark as they finally stepped out and dried off. “Does it feel okay? It looks better.”

“Yeah…I think…I think it’s going to be okay. Don’t make me go through that again, Piccolo. I…I was in death, it had me, and I came back for you, for our babies. But it was…Death is easy. Comfortable. Which maybe you know. Last time, when I died it was instantaneous: there was no time spent falling through the abyss…This time…” Vegeta stopped. Piccolo was weeping, his hand over his mouth, but he tried to stifle it.

Piccolo said, “I’m okay. I want to know.”

“I was sinking for so long, until there was only darkness—the darkest dark, like nothing you experience in life—and one shining thread held me out of that final void. It’s so peaceful there. But I heard you. I heard you calling for me. So I climbed that razor blade wire back to you, but it was awful and painful and I didn’t think I could do it. But I made it to you, but there was so much suffering, when I could have just slipped into that void. It would have been so much easier to just let go. And I don’t think I can do it again, Piccolo. It was so hard, and I was afraid it was all for nothing. So, even though it’s healed…I may be…fragile…sensitive…for a while. Please be patient with me. Gentle with me.”

Piccolo crushed their bodies together and kissed Vegeta through his tears. He only nodded into Vegeta’s neck for a long while before he said, “That’s the least I can do. I’m so glad you came back to me, so glad you’re strong and brave. I…I don’t regret mating, I’m so happy we did, but I didn’t understand the power of it, the magic, and that it’s about more than being together. It’s a commitment to being good to one another. Being our best selves together.”

“I don’t regret it, Piccolo. Not even then. But I didn’t realize either. Apparently Raditz and Nappa had pretty smooth sailing.”

“Fuck, that’s shameful that I’m a worse husband than either of those two idiots.”

“Not to me. I love you. You’re an excellent mate. They were simpletons and they were…I don’t know…Nappa and Raditz just rabidly fucked and fought, not much else. They never have time to have any interpersonal conflict. They had no domestic life. They were simpler in bed, too, trust me, very basic. Nappa was always a bottom and loved it. Raditz liked being in charge, never wanted anything else.”

“Did you…”

“No. Raditz and I jacked each other off a few times when we were younger, but he couldn’t stand my dominance, and he was too weak for me to ever accept as a top.”

Piccolo made a sour face. “Raditz I can see, but Nappa? Ew. I’m glad I don’t have to purge that mental image. He did seem to enjoy subservience. I thought maybe you two were fucking given the way he kowtowed to you.”

“I think he would’ve let me, he was heartbroken after Raditz died, and certain that I’d let him use the dragon balls to wish him back. But Nappa needed someone to tell him what to do, and I think whoever it was turned him on.”

Vegeta took Piccolo’s hand. “Come on, we’ll go train for a couple hours at the beach, then we can spend the afternoon fucking. You can earn your dildo time. Your ass bites,” Vegeta said against Piccolo’s lips.

As they dressed, a knock came at their door. Vegeta answered as he finished shrugging on his tank top. His eyebrows shot up. It was Dende. “Little Kami, this is a surprise. What can I do for you?”

“You can just say, ‘Kami,’ I’m fully aware of my size, Vegeta, something I would think you’d be sensitive to.”

“Very well, _Kami_ , what can I do for you?”

Dende peered around Vegeta’s broad shoulders. “Are you alone?”

Piccolo loomed up behind Vegeta and said, “Hey, Dende, what brings you by?”

“Might I have a word alone with Vegeta?”

Piccolo shrugged, kissed Vegeta, and slapped his ass. “I’ll meet you at our spot?”

“Sure. I’ll be there shortly,” Vegeta said, and watched Piccolo as he strutted to the balcony and launched off. His heart fluttered: he felt even more relief that Piccolo hadn’t gotten irritated or tetchy about Dende’s visit. Vegeta returned his attention to the Kami and raised an eyebrow.

“Vegeta, have you been okay? You look worlds better. Would you be willing to let me examine your mating mark?”

“It’s fine, Dende, we’re fine.”

“Look, I understand it’s private, very personal, but aside from my lingering concern about what Piccolo did to you, I’m fascinated by how this magic works. Cross-species magic is a special interest of mine. Given that you’re the last pure-blooded Saiyan on the mortal plane, I wondered if I might learn a little more about it. I intend to ask Piccolo too. I simply wanted to be sure you were safe first.”

Vegeta waved the Kami in and grumbled, “Shall I lie down?”

“Yes, if you’re willing.”

Vegeta blushed as they walked into the bedroom. The room stank of peaches and the bed was a sex-tussled mess, lube and semen puddles and stains everywhere. Blood everywhere too, from before his wound had stopped weeping. He rushed to the bed and threw one of the relatively cum-free blankets over the rest of the mess and muttered, “Sorry.”

Dende’s cheeks were fuchsia and he stammered, “It’s…it’s…it’s been a day!”

Vegeta pulled his tank top off and laid back on the bed as he snapped, “Well, we missed each other!”

“Lord of Lords, I guess so. Are you okay? It seems like a lot given…all you've been through. All _he_ put you through.”

“He’s changed, Dende.”

“But Kami hasn’t.”

Vegeta’s face heated and he looked away as he muttered, “He did this type of thing before he'd merged, so I don’t know that Kami has anything to do with it.”

Dende sighed. “I’m only concerned for your safety, Vegeta.”

“I’m fine.”

Dende bent over the mark. He touched it. Prodded it with strange tools. He met Vegeta’s eyes and said, “May I take a small skin sample? It will sting just for a moment.”

Vegeta nodded. Dende had been right, it was very personal. Uncomfortably personal: Vegeta felt naked and vulnerable. The sting Dende had warned him about was so inconsequential compared to the pain the mark had caused recently that Vegeta chuckled.

Dende mused, still poking the wound, “Not fully healed, but it’s incredible how much better it looks. Bulma’s healing pod did this? I didn’t think it would prove better at healing than me. I’m a little ashamed.”

“No, not the pod. It was the same after that. No difference.”

“Surely something did this? I can’t imagine even Saiyan healing accomplished this in a day, especially given your weakened state.”

Vegeta tried not to smile stupidly, but he failed. He gestured to the evidence of their exuberant sexual reunion. “This is how we healed.”

“We?” Dende said, blinking as a new wave of scarlet rose on his cheeks.

“I don’t think there’s a way to heal a mark alone.”

Dende cleared his throat and tried to maintain a professional demeanor despite his rosy face. “So…so, just sex? Sex healed it?”

Vegeta said, “Can I sit up? I’d like to go in the other room, the peach is overwhelming in here.”

“What is that, anyway?”

Vegeta chuckled. “Lube.”

Dende’s cheeks flamed even brighter.

They moved to the considerably less cum-stained couch, and Vegeta said, “Look, Dende, you know the nature of my injuries from Piccolo, right?”

“Despicable,” Dende said, his nostrils flaring and fists clenching, “for anyone, but for a mate…just…just…despicable. Monstrous.”

“Don’t call him that.”

“But it’s true, Vegeta. I’m a god. I can pass judgement on him.”

Vegeta ground his teeth and continued, “It’s beside the point. Because of the nature of the pain inflicted, I felt this was the only way to heal. And it seems I was right. It happened faster and sooner than I anticipated, given how I felt when I left the lookout, but…well…Piccolo and I have always had an intense physical relationship. It was what the mark wanted.”

“I want to understand this magic, it’s so intriguing. Did anything else happen? Did you do anything else?”

Vegeta pondered the question and said, “He's settled down, mellowed, so he’s not so jealous and angry. Before, if you had shown up asking to speak to me alone, he would’ve radiated possessive jealousy and probably been rough with me later—“

Dende cut him off, “Vegeta…perhaps you don’t want to answer, or maybe you don’t even know, but why? Why do you let him? You’re significantly stronger than he is.”

Vegeta shrugged, turned his eyes away, and said, “Because he needed it. Because I never want to hurt him, and defending myself would have meant hurting him. But mostly, to please him. He’s my weakness, loving him like I do. But he hasn’t been like that since…since I was sick. He says I scared it out of him. I think the wound still weeps because I can’t quite believe it will last.”

“I can imagine trust takes more than a few bouts of good sex to rebuild,” Dende said.

“True, though you’d be surprised.”

“Anything else?”

“Prepare to blush, Kami,”

“What?” Dende said, his brows coming together.

“He licked it, sucked it. It’s how I helped his heal, when they were both festering.”As Vegeta had predicted, Dende blushed to his antennae. Vegeta chuckled as he continued, “Most Earthlings are squeamish about Saiyan’s and Namek’s more animalistic behaviors, but you’re no Earthling, Dende.”

“No, but my pain tolerance is very low, so I can’t imagine how much that must have hurt.”

“No! No pain, only relief. I’m sure if _you_ had licked it, it would have burned like acid. I can’t even imagine how a mark would respond to infidelity. But this was soothing. Even before, when it wasn't healing it, it alleviated my suffering.”

“Such strange magic…” Dende said, looking Vegeta over like he thought the answer to the riddle of the mating mark would appear on his skin.

“You Nameks have plenty of your own strange mating magic.”

“We do not!”

“I glow when I come in his _theadur_! Since the first time, I glow just fucking it, not that I pull out, but it starts before I even come.”

Dende cocked his head to the side and said, “Other species don’t glow when mating?”

“None that I know of, and certainly not Saiyans!”

“Interesting! I hope that Piccolo will permit me to examine his mark, assuming you can tamp down your own possessive rage. It surprised me, you know, that he was the one with rage issues.”

“Me too. But I’ll be fine. Since he gave birth, I’ve mellowed as well.”

Dende said, “Vegeta…if he ever feels suddenly different, be wary. I know you don’t think Kami is involved, but I feel it. Despite his formerly gentle nature, he is enraged that Piccolo has taken back over. He _blames_ you.”

“I wish that son of a bitch would just stay down. Piccolo is perfect without him. Though I haven’t noticed much of a change in his personality since he regained his memories. I guess maybe because they aren't merged so much as sharing a body, unwillingly, perhaps.”

“Hmm…I think it's more complicated than that. I still see bits of Nail erupt around me, so I know Kami, who was older and more powerful, though in a different way than Nail or Piccolo, must occasionally make his presence known.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“And there’s nothing wrong with hurting someone to defend yourself, Vegeta.”

Vegeta snorted and said, “Obviously who I hurt and why is not something I have had moral compunctions about. With him it’s…it’s about love, Dende, and I know you think that’s pathetic—“

“Not at all! I just think next time it will kill you.”

“There won’t be a next time. And if there is, death will be welcome.” Dende looked very sad, but Vegeta continued, “Shall I call Piccolo, so you can check out his mark?” Dende nodded, his eyes searching Vegeta's face.

Piccolo touched down moments later and Vegeta felt his energy, probed it for any of the anger and jealousy that typically oozed out when Vegeta had social encounters with even a whiff of sexuality about them. There was nothing though, only concern. The change was dramatic. His demon bent and kissed him. He murmured, “Everything okay? You feel okay?”

“Fine. I’m fine. He wants to look at your mark. He’s trying to figure out the magic.”

Piccolo relaxed and teased Dende while he examined Piccolo’s mark. Dende shied away from one of their more egregious stains and Piccolo said jovially, “Dende, I don’t think there’s a safe surface in our quarters.”

Dende said, “Don’t you two clean up after yourselves?”

Piccolo grinned broadly and said, “We do, these are aaaalllll fresh.”

Dende flushed wildly and looked around with wide eyes. He quickly went through the same process on Piccolo’s mark, then packed up his things. He bid them farewell and left, giving Vegeta a significant look.

Piccolo stretched on the couch, shirtless from Dende’s inspection, his belt unwrapped, his pants slung low. He sighed ostentatiously and said, “I guess I’d better get dressed so we can go train.”

Vegeta leaned low to kiss him once, but Piccolo snatched his hands, kissing him more. He tugged Vegeta’s tank top over his head. He lifted his ass so Vegeta could drag his pants off. Vegeta stood at Piccolo’s feet and said, “You’re not wearing boxers—I think you planned this! Getting lazy, my demon.” He spun Piccolo until he was sitting up on the couch, dropped to his knees between his demon's long legs, and kissed him more.

“If this is what being lazy entails, I want to be lazy every day, my love,” Piccolo said softly. He pulled Vegeta’s hand to his mouth, sucked on his fingers until they were sopping. Vegeta slid them down Piccolo’s muscular body, between his legs.

“Yes, I think being lazy sometimes might be necessary,” he gasped, slipping his middle finger inside Piccolo.

“We should cover everything in here in so much cum that it camouflages the the stains, don’t you think?”

“I do. We can’t neglect hearth and home for training. Upholstery care is important,” Vegeta answered, smirking against Piccolo’s lips as he pressed a second finger into the tight ring of his demon.

Vegeta stayed on his knees, kissing Piccolo for a long time. Piccolo pushed Vegeta’s pants down and gripped him, lubed him, and guided Vegeta into the inferno of his ass. He spread his legs wide so Vegeta could plunge deeper, but Vegeta thought Piccolo’s face looked sad, confused.

It scared Vegeta, made him think of the times when Kami had struggled to keep Piccolo away from Vegeta. He whispered, “Piccolo? What’s wrong? Did I hurt you?”

Piccolo’s eyes snapped to his and they were all his, no Kami. He blushed as though he were embarrassed that he’d been caught doing something wrong. He said quietly, “No…I’m fine.”

Vegeta went still. “That was very unconvincing. What’s wrong?”

“I…It’s fine if you don’t want to…I just…Is it…”

“Spit it out, Piccolo,” Vegeta growled.

“I want you to fuck me rough, hard, you know how I like it…but…but, I don’t know! Is that weird for you, after…after…what I did?”

“No, not weird. I’ll fuck you rough whenever it pleases you, Piccolo, but it doesn’t mean you get to do it in return!”

“No, of course not.”

Vegeta gave a satisfied grunt and purred, “Then cry mercy if it’s too much…” He pinned Piccolo on the couch with his legs wide over Vegeta’s shoulders, folded up like a fortune cookie, so Vegeta could pound down into him while holding onto the back of the couch. Piccolo held the back of his own knees, keeping himself open for Vegeta to ram into him.

Vegeta curled down and kissed Piccolo viciously. Piccolo, after hesitation kissed him aggressively back, but paused to whisper, “Okay?”

“Gods, yes,” Vegeta growled and slapped Piccolo’s ass, “I’m going to make you come without touching your dick, okay?”

Piccolo nodded. He gasped for breath, his eyes tightly shut. Vegeta dragged his nails up and down the front of Piccolo’s thighs, scratching them. Then he shoved his hand down onto Piccolo’s mark, pressing the heal of his hand into it as he pounded Piccolo. Piccolo bucked against him and bellowed as a huge jet of semen rocketed out of him, his asshole clenching on Vegeta.

Vegeta hadn’t wrecked Piccolo since he’d given birth, and he desperately wanted to push him hard now. He slowed his thrusts, made them deeper, more punishing, and Piccolo’s ecstatic cries told him he could keep going, but he was still fragile after everything. Felt _they_ were still fragile, so he whispered, “Can I? Can I wreck you?”

Piccolo stuttered a pained cry and shot another load onto his chest. He breathed hard, chuckling, and said, “Yes—I think I need it. I need you, Vegeta.”

Vegeta kissed him hard and let their mouths have a turn at fucking before he rolled onto the couch, sitting up with Piccolo facing him on his lap. He tapped Piccolo’s legs which were against Vegeta’s chest, “Legs out, my demon,” Vegeta gasped and spread Piccolo’s legs wide and down, until he was almost in a split, and slammed him up and down on Vegeta’s thrumming, marble-hard prick.

Vegeta threw his head back with pleasure but felt Piccolo take his own dick in his hand. Vegeta grabbed Piccolo’s belt off the couch and seized both Piccolo’s hands. He hastily, but tightly, bound Piccolo’s hands behind his back, and Piccolo’s face was so excited that Vegeta almost lost control. He breathed through it and continued to piston up into Piccolo’s slick opening. He held Piccolo’s hips so they didn’t rebound away from the depth of Vegeta’s thrusts.

Piccolo groaned, “Oh, fuck yes, Vegeta…How…how are you gonna make me come again without my dick? Oh, fuck, fuck, fuck, but you are! Gods, Vegeta, that spot, ah, ah, ah!” Piccolo wailed and crashed against Vegeta, his spurt hitting Vegeta’s face.

Vegeta wiped it off without pausing his thrusts and said, “I can’t believe I’ve never made you do that before. So hot.”

“Vegeta…” Piccolo gasped as he trembled and curled forward. Vegeta pushed him more and the aftershocks sent more cum dripping out of his demon’s tip.

“Did you mean to say ‘mercy?’” Vegeta purred, tipping Piccolo’s chin up and kissing him. He nipped along his jawline to his ear, sucking the lobe before he said, “Do you want me to stop? You have to say it,” Vegeta swirled his tongue in Piccolo’s ear, whispered, “Say it…”

Piccolo growled and rolled his hips. “No,” he rasped, turning to savagely kiss Vegeta.

Vegeta stood up, gripping Piccolo’s ass, and pressed him against the wall. A spray of cracks spread out from behind his broad back as Piccolo’s bound hands and arms broke through the drywall. Piccolo wrapped his legs around Vegeta’s waist and Vegeta hammered into him, both of them crying out constantly now.

Piccolo’s prick strained up between them and he pleaded, “Please, Vegeta, please stroke my cock.”

“No…you come for me one more time and I’ll reward you by jerking you off while I come inside you so deep.”

“I don’t…” Piccolo gasped and cried out, his dick twitching, “I don’t…oh gods, Vegeta, I can’t…”

“Do you doubt my dick, my demon? Do you think it won’t fuck you until tomorrow if necessary? You can come for me, my mate, love of my life.”

Piccolo’s abs tensed and his face fell onto Vegeta’s shoulder as Vegeta changed his angle of penetration. Piccolo let out a long, keening sound and Vegeta groaned as Piccolo splattered him again, his ass clenching so sweetly that Vegeta feared he wouldn’t be able to keep his promise.

Piccolo breathed, between groaning cries as his orgasm continued, “Now? Now you’ll touch my dick?”

“Mmm…Do you want me to touch it, or do you want me to fuck your beautiful cock with my fist? Hmm? Do you want it rough?” He pulled on Piccolo’s balls as far as he dared and Piccolo made a noise very close to a whimper, which Vegeta knew meant he was doing it right.

Piccolo panted, “Fist fuck, fist fuck, gods, please, Vegeta, rough, fast, hard. But you’ll come? You’ll come with me?”

“Yes, I need it. I need to fuck you so badly. To come in you. To come with you while you grip me.”

He forced his tightly clenched fist down over Piccolo’s swollen, cum-coated head, and Piccolo whimpered, bucked toward it. Vegeta moved it with deliberate slowness, and Piccolo begged and pleaded, kissing Vegeta and pleading more.

Vegeta whispered, looking into Piccolo’s eyes, “Tell me you’re mine.”

“I am. I’m yours,” Piccolo gasped.

“Tell me you love me,” Vegeta commanded.

“I do. I love you so much, Vegeta, gods, I love you so much.”

“Tell me how you want to fuck me after I’m done with you.”

“So soft and sweet. I want to rim you until you come, Vegeta. Maybe fuck you nice and slow with a dildo so I can bite your perfect ass. Oh gods, oh gods, Vegeta—come with me, please, please come inside me, together!”

Vegeta surged into Piccolo and his demon’s hot seed poured over his hand. When Piccolo’s ass seized on him, he roared, ascending to super-Saiyan. His climax shattered him as he pulsed again and again inside his demon. The wall began to crumble, so he pulled his demon away and fell onto his back. Piccolo, on his knees, finished their release as he pumped up and down on Vegeta’s dick and into his hand.

Piccolo fell forward, slid off in the slick of cum, and chuckled weakly. Vegeta gasped for breath, but untied Piccolo’s hands. Piccolo cleaned them off as best he could with his pants, then held Vegeta’s face and kissed him tenderly.

He kissed and kissed Vegeta so they remained breathless, and he kept ahold of Vegeta’s face. Finally, Vegeta murmured against Piccolo’s mouth, “You okay?”

“Fuck, yes, Vegeta. You are so good at fucking me. So good.”

“Not hurt? Your hands and back are okay from the wall?”

“Yes, stop fretting and let me kiss you.”

Vegeta obeyed. His hands trailed over Piccolo’s skin, touching him everywhere. Piccolo’s hands cascaded over Vegeta’s torso even as he continued his breathless kissing. He tipped Vegeta's chin up and kissed down his neck onto his chest, finally sitting up with Vegeta still inside him. He squeezed Vegeta with a grin and bent to kiss him more. As he sat up again, Vegeta ran his hands up and down Piccolo’s quads.

“Mmm…You’re in a good mood,” Vegeta said.

“Of course I am. How could I not be? My mate survived a terrible ordeal, then he forgave my heinous crimes last night, let me fuck him, and then continued to fuck me perfectly today, after letting me finger-fuck his ass. So yes, I’m in the best mood.”

“Not mad about Dende?”

“Why would I be mad?” Piccolo asked, canting his head to the side.

At times, Vegeta found Piccolo’s obliviousness to his own prior shitty behavior extremely irritating. He snorted and said, “I don’t know why you get mad about people interacting with me, but sometimes you do.”

“I'm done with that, Vegeta. I’m sorry you had to die for me to figure out how stupid I was being. Did he come to see if I’d hurt you again?” Piccolo said softly, and his face crumpled.

Vegeta cupped it in his hand, curled up to kiss him. “No, I don’t think so. But I think he thought you might be angry about him poking and prodding my mark.”

“I guess it makes sense he’d think that. And…I guess I don’t really _like_ it, if I’m being honest, but now…Now I’m not angry at you, or even Dende, I just don’t like it. I might be mad at him if he came onto you, but all I felt was worry. Love. Fear. I don’t know, when you were out, I had a lot of time to reflect on the shit we’ve talked about every time I’ve hurt you. I thought about my complicated feelings about your dominance and my insecurities in bed and I realized that it’s okay for me to have been a top, even a power-top, with all my other partners, except fucking Goku, but it’s okay that I’m not with you. That’s probably the reason I love you so intensely, but it’s been…an adjustment. I found, when I really searched inside myself, that I’m a little ashamed of myself for how much I love bottoming for you. I don’t know why, since I wanted it. Want it. I love being on the bottom with you so much. But there was some convoluted psychological shit going on.” Piccolo ran his hands over Vegeta’s increasingly cum-crusty chest and bent to kiss him. “But when I saw what I’d done, what suffering I’d caused, and then…then…then…” 

Piccolo’s eyes filled and his voice was choked, “I almost killed you. I almost killed you because I’m jealous. Not of Talon, or Bulma, or anybody else that I've managed to be stupid about, I mean, I am, but…but…but…the toxic jealousy…Fuck. Vegeta, the toxic jealousy is not of them…it’s of you…I was jealous of what you are, what you can do. What I can’t do. I’ve been afraid that you’d leave me since I can’t fuck you like you fuck me. And then I sabotaged myself, subconsciously, but no less effectively. I would get so scared whenever you had some kind of interaction with one of your other lovers, scared that I wasn’t good enough. Scared that you’d leave me. So I would hurt you, and that way I could pretend that was why you left me, not because you weren’t satisfied sexually. The night I was drunk, I also had this other nagging fear that I'm not the same so you’ll…you’ll…you’ll be unhappy. Be bored. I'm terrified that you'll miss the old Piccolo, the un-merged Piccolo. That you're just…just…just settling for what I am now.” Piccolo held his face and sobbed.

Vegeta took Piccolo’s hands away and held Piccolo’s jaw in his own hand. Piccolo leaned into Vegeta's hand and closed his eyes, taking a long, shuddering breath. Vegeta stroked his cheek, brought his other hand up to hold his face. He curled up and kissed Piccolo deeply. He whispered, “Oh, Piccolo, no, I love you exactly as you are. And I’ll love you as you change. Saiyans and Nameks are long-lived; we’ll both change. I know that fear, though, and it’s terrible. Abandonment is terrifying. But the other…I don’t know if it helps, but I wouldn’t like it if you fucked me the way I fuck you. I’ve done similar things for other partners, but this…this is for you. Don’t get me wrong, I love doing it to you, because even though you’re fragile afterwards, you like it, right? You haven't just been appeasing me?”

“No, I fucking love it. You really wouldn’t want it like this, if I could? Not the rough, but the…the…wrecking?”

“That’s the only way to do it, Piccolo. I couldn’t do it without being rough. I don’t think I could tenderly milk five orgasms out of you, there’s just a certain ruthlessness to it, a relentlessness, and it requires a lot of stimulation, don’t you think? I know we come multiple times pretty close together, but this…like this, where you have no down time—that’s an accomplishment for _you_ , not me. I can’t do that, but I also don’t want to. I love doing it to you when you want it, but I wouldn’t do it if you didn’t. And I would never want it like that. I don't want it like that. I love you as a lover.”

Vegeta kissed Piccolo more and continued, “Please, my demon, believe me when I say that aside from when you’ve hurt me on purpose, you’re amazing. You’re exactly what I want, and I love all the ways we fuck.”

“What about the year of painful fucking?” Piccolo said, his face downcast.

“That was on me for not talking to you, not being honest. My love for you makes me…tolerant. That was Dende’s main worry; that I would let you kill me out of devotion.”

Piccolo broke down sobbing again and clung to Vegeta. Vegeta held him tightly and they kissed until they were breathless again. Piccolo murmured, “I won’t. I won’t, Vegeta. I love you, and I’m…I’m going to love you right from now on.” He chuckled weakly. “You did wreck me though. I’m so tired. My balls are sore.”

“Sorry I killed your good mood.”

“No, you didn’t. It’s good to talk about it. I’m so ashamed, Vegeta, not just of how I acted, but why I acted that way, but I think it’s better that you know. That I admit it. And…it does help, what you said.”

Vegeta kissed him again and smirked. “I think we need another shower. I’m…sticky.”

Piccolo looked around at the broken wall, the splattered mess everywhere. “Shit, Vegeta, we should really see if we can pay Bulma to design more durable, washable living quarters for us. Even with the cleaning bots, Dende’s right, we’re pretty disgusting.”

“I don’t think Earth materials were designed for the libidos of the first Namek-Saiyan couple.”

Piccolo snorted, but gave Vegeta a half-smile. “I don’t think that honor goes to me.”

Vegeta searched Piccolo’s chi for anger, but it wasn’t there. He said, “Hmph, very well, the first Namek-Saiyan couple _on Earth_.”

“Okay, that I’ll give you.”

“You’ve given me plenty. More than I ever dreamed.”


	8. Tying Off Loose Ends

As the hatching of his young grew near, Vegeta started to worry. His wound still hadn't healed entirely. Piccolo’s behavior had stayed mellow and loving, and Piccolo had been extremely careful about even causing the slightest discomfort when he fucked Vegeta. But still his mark festered. Worse than his own worry, Piccolo’s anxiety about it had become palpable. Vegeta had seen him staring at it with such sadness and confusion in his eyes that it broke Vegeta’s heart.

That morning, Dende had been by to check the eggs, patiently answering Trunks’s impertinent questions about Namek biology and what his new hybrid siblings might be like. Trunks had been vigilantly checking the eggs for signs of hatching every day since Piccolo had finished birthing them. Vegeta shooed Trunks off to play so he could speak with Dende.

“I believe around two weeks until they’ll hatch, but I can’t be certain with hybrid infants,” Dende said, and then continued tentatively, “May I have a word alone, Vegeta?”

Piccolo nodded and kissed Vegeta lightly, leaving with shame and embarrassment on his face.

Vegeta growled, “What? It hurts him when you do this.”

“I can’t possibly expect you to be honest with me when he’s present. Your mark still weeps. I think it’s vital that you get this under control before your children enter the world. Parenting is a challenge for any species, but there are more unknowns for you two, but one known is how powerful they will be. They’re already stronger than many Nameks and they haven’t even hatched.”

“I don’t know how to heal it! We’ve tried...we’ve tried everything we can imagine,” Vegeta said, blushing himself and turning Dende purple as he stared assiduously at the ground.

Dende sighed and shrugged. “If I can help in any way once they’ve hatched, please let me know. But I won’t come again unless you request it. No sign of Kami in his demeanor?”

“None. Nothing but Piccolo...and a gentler Piccolo at that.”

This statement seemed to make Dende even more uneasy, but he left with a shallow bow.

After he left, Piccolo came back and said tentatively, “Vegeta, do you…do you know why it’s still festering?”

“I don’t, Piccolo. I really don’t. I’ve been scared that…that maybe the wound, the psychological one, is maybe too deep to ever heal completely.” Piccolo was trying not to cry. “Oh, my demon, no, don’t cry. It’s okay, it hardly hurts at all.”

“Bullshit, Vegeta. I know. I see the way you wince and cringe when we train, and given that you hardly do that when I land a masenko-ha, it must be fairly painful.”

“No, it’s fine, really,” Vegeta said, squeezing Piccolo’s hand.

“I want to heal it, Vegeta, it’s…it’s special. It’s ours. Our mark. I don’t want it to be a permanent sore. It’s supposed to be a brand, a tattoo, a claim…not a painful reminder of my shittiness.”

“I know, Piccolo, but I don’t have a clue how to heal it. We’ve put my ass through the paces, your ass too, and your _theadur_. Even our mouths, for fuck’s sake. What more can we try?”

Piccolo looked forlorn, broken, as he whispered in a barely audible voice, “Maybe you have to…to hurt me. Like that. Maybe you have to—“

As if in answer, the wound split open, blood gushing out. Vegeta grimaced and shouted, “Don't even fucking suggest that! I would rather it fester the rest of my life. Two shitty things don’t cancel each other out, Piccolo. Fuck!” Vegeta sucked in a sharp breath through his teeth as he tore off his shirt and pressed it hard on the wound.

Piccolo dropped to his knees and kissed it, tried to make it close, but it kept bleeding. He said, “What about the foursome? Maybe we need you to see my lack of jealousy in action.”

Vegeta was dismayed when the mark knitted closed before their eyes as he peeked when the pain lessened. He said, “No, Piccolo. I didn’t mate with you so we could fuck other people!” It split back open. “Godsdamnit!”

Piccolo grinned and whispered, as though he were talking to the mark, “What if we just _try_ it? Just see what happens. Not a regular thing, but just one time, just to see if it helps. It will let us know right away. Mine too, in all likelihood. Talon said he’ll back off right away if it gets worse, Bulma too. She’s worried about this, she agrees with me.”

Vegeta’s jaw dropped, his eyes popping, and he stammered, “But…what? You…Talon…Bulma?” He shook his head and grabbed his hair, erupting into super-Saiyan and roared, “Godsdamnit! Have the three of you been plotting? Have you been planning group sex behind my fucking back? Why the fuck wouldn’t you plot _with_ me? What the fuck!?” He bolted as fast as he could out the window, hoping Piccolo couldn’t keep pace. But he felt woozy, looked down at his hip, and saw his pants were completely soaked with blood. More worrying still were the black tendrils that snaked up toward his belly-button. He slowed unintentionally and muttered, “Fuck,” as he lost consciousness.

* * *

He awoke to strong arms around him, wind whipping over him, everything aching. “Piccolo?”

“I’ve got you. I’m taking you to the healing pod. Gods I wish you’d stop trying to die,” Piccolo said, his face grim, his eyes red and raw looking.

Vegeta croaked with a smirk, “It's like you don’t even know me.”

Piccolo chuckled and kissed his forehead, but he slipped away again.

* * *

Piccolo was meditating, aloft and cross-legged, and Vegeta’s first groggy response was arousal. Then he was furious. Livid. Almost blind with rage. He nearly exploded out of the pod, but the monitors went off as Piccolo felt him. Piccolo slammed his hand down on the emergency drain and shut off.

Vegeta stomped out, tearing off the mask, and raised his fist. He wanted to shout, but his wound doubled him over before dropping him to his knees. “Fuck!” he gasped, pressing both hands onto the spurting wound.

“Vegeta!” Piccolo dove to catch him as he pitched forward. “Vegeta, fuck! Come here.” Piccolo heaved him upright, ripped off his cape and shoved it hard against the mark.

Vegeta hissed, “You know that won’t do a fucking thing!”

Tears streamed out of Piccolo’s eyes. “No shit, but I don’t know what else to do! I don't know why you're this mad!”

Vegeta groaned with agony and then barked, "Take me home, not here!”

Piccolo launched them home. Vegeta saw Talon arrive at the healing pod, an amorphous expression of rage and terror on his face, but he didn't follow. Piccolo set him on the bed and pressed hard, blood burbling through the cloth. “Please, Vegeta, please, tell me!”

“You fucking asshole!” Vegeta kicked Piccolo away from him. “You fucking _raped_ me because I showed a mild interest in the fucking foursome! Gods! You fucking raped me, Piccolo!” Vegeta choked on his own sobs, he’d never said it out loud and it felt awful to say and to hear. Vegeta continued, “And now you’re just blithely planning a surprise orgy like it’s no big deal? The fuck! I…I…I…” Vegeta felt the world slipping and sliding as he pressed on the volcanic wound.

Piccolo’s face was an ashen shade of green, he clasped his hand over his mouth, smearing his face with blood. He looked like he’d been eating something alive. “Oh, gods, Vegeta, oh gods, I’m so sorry. Please, please, I’ll never bring it up again!”

The black tendrils slithered down Vegeta's leg. Vegeta screamed.

Piccolo finally roared and shouted, “Fuck that! We’re doing it, we’re doing the godsdamned foursome, Vegeta! And it's going to be amazing and I’m going to watch you fuck your exes and it’s going to be hot and you’ll see that I’ve changed. That I’ve really changed. That I’m different. Better. You’ll know you’re safe!”

Vegeta's rage made him nauseous, and it trebled when he saw the stupid wound’s bleeding slow to almost nothing. The tendrils retracted. Vegeta sobbed, “Why does it want this? I don't want this. Why? Why?” He rolled onto his stomach and cried into his arm, even though the wound was only dull pain now. “None of this had to happen. Why do you keep putting me through unnecessary suffering? Why? Gods…” He curled into a ball, sticky with his own blood. Vegeta thought of all the unnecessary suffering he’d caused Talon, but at least Frieza was dead. They never could have been together without that. And Kakarot never would’ve encountered Frieza without Vegeta bashing arrogantly into his life. Yet Vegeta thought perhaps Piccolo forgetting him and assaulting him had been some bizarre form of karma.

Piccolo wrapped around him and Vegeta let him, holding Piccolo’s hands when he laced his fingers over the back of Vegeta’s. He kissed softly down Vegeta’s neck. “I’m sorry, my love. I never should’ve done anything I did…I…then…before I took stock of my issues, I couldn’t even imagine it. Since then, I thought about your response and your feelings for both of them, and it seemed…cathartic. Like you could have a good time with them so you don’t feel shitty, but it’d be part of…part of our story. Once I realized I was jealous of you, not them, and I let that go….it just seemed hot. But I’m sorry. I should’ve come to you first. I thought you'd say no out of deference to me. In all the horror of when I…I…raped you, I didn’t even remember what had catalyzed that particular bout of assholery. I just think of it as my drunken cruelty.”

Vegeta remained motionless, listening. He tried to tamp down his fury. When he failed, the wound oozed more. “Fuck. Fuck this. Fuck everything. I should’ve just stayed dead on Namek and saved us all a lot of trouble.”

Piccolo sobbed against his hair, “Please don’t say that, Vegeta. I love you. You’re my mate, my only, please don’t say it’s not worth it.” Piccolo wailed and tore his hand away from Vegeta’s to grip his own hip.

Vegeta rolled in his arms, eyes wide. “Piccolo? What?”

Piccolo grimaced and lifted his hand off his mark.

“No!” Vegeta shouted and shoved Piccolo on his back. He ripped off Piccolo’s clothes: his mark was seeping and raw looking, though Vegeta sighed with relief that it wasn’t bleeding; only lymph came out and it had no black roots of death. He immediately put his mouth on it, holding Piccolo’s ass in his hands.

Piccolo gasped and arched toward it. He whispered through his tears, “Don’t say that, Vegeta, don’t say you regret me, please, I can't bear it. I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, but please…”

Vegeta sucked until Piccolo was hard, then pulled off gasping and growled, “Of course I don’t fucking regret you. I would die without you.”

His demon’s wound closed and scarred over, and Piccolo sighed with relief. Vegeta gritted his teeth, slumped back into a ball, ashamed of his lack of desire. Piccolo curled around him again and whispered in his ear, “If you don’t want it, it’s fine. If you don’t know, don’t decide—“

“Piccolo, our babies will hatch any day now! I can’t be a hot, bloody mess! I’m a shitty parent at my best—like this, fuck, I’ll be unfit,” he took a shuddering breath and choked out, “I’m scared you’ll hate me afterwards. I’m scared…I’m scared I’ll feel things I don’t want to feel.” And he was scared Piccolo would hurt him again. What if Dende was right and Kami reared his head? But Vegeta didn't dare say either out loud.

“I know it will make you feel things. Talon is your first love, Bulma’s the mother of your son, but…sorry, I don’t want to piss you off or make you sad, but they’re pretty lost for each other now, and I think…I think they want this for their own relationship. To move past you together.”

Vegeta heaved for breath, that fact, in itself, was causing him to feel things that he didn’t want to feel. He gasped, “Why do you want it? I know why they want it.”

“Reassurance.”

“Of what?”

“That you really choose me. That I’m what you really want, that it wasn’t just because I was here, on Earth. And that I can be sane. And…I…Vegeta, honestly, it does turn me on a lot to think about it. And it’s okay if you still have feelings for them, as long as…as long as…I'm still your mate. Your husband.”

“Gods, Piccolo, I don’t need this to show me that.”

“I know you don’t, but I think I do. Especially after what I’ve done. I think this is how we heal completely. And I can't bear for you to be in pain anymore. I can’t bear my mark being the reason you're hurting—I want our bond to be a source of joy, not suffering.”

Vegeta squeezed his eyes shut and ground his teeth. “Well…what have you fuckers come up with as a plan? How does a fucking foursome even work? I’ve had threesomes and that was more than enough to contend with. You’ve talked to them both? This is so humiliating,” Vegeta said miserably.

“Aren’t you even a little excited?”

“Piccolo, do you have any idea how stressful three catchers will be?”

“I can top Talon or Bulma, or you, for that matter.”

“But I imagine they each want a turn. And then you will want a turn. Fuck, if you’d told me, I could’ve trained,” he said, finally giving Piccolo a half-smile over his shoulder.

Piccolo turned Vegeta toward him, used his thumbs to wipe away the last of Vegeta’s tears. He bumped their foreheads together and said, “If fucking each other all day, every day isn’t training, I don’t what is.”

“I should have been holding back all day.”

“We all want you to come. A lot. That’s one thing we all feel pretty strongly about.”

“You know my feelings on my partners’ orgasms.”

“This will be a new experience.”

“Fuck. You sound like you have it all planned out. Where and when is my unwanted surprise party?”

“We don’t have it _all_ planned. Bulma has a beach house on an island the Briefs’ own that we can use, she said it’s cabins, like in the mountains. She thought two or three days there this weekend.”

“Gods, Piccolo! Two or three fucking days? I thought maybe dinner to midnight, be back in our own beds to sleep. Where is this place? How far? What is Bulma doing with Trunks? What about the eggs? We, we, we have to be here!”

“Bunny and Dr. Briefs will take care of Trunks, obviously. And Bunny offered to watch the eggs and call if they start—“

“You told fucking _Bunny_ that we’re having a foursome?” Vegeta was apoplectic.

“No! Fuck, Vegeta, no! We told her we were going on a couples’ weekend.”

“How long have you been scheming? Do they…oh fuck, Piccolo…” Vegeta began to tremble and shoved Piccolo away. “How could you…I can’t even…I can’t…”

Piccolo took Vegeta back in his arms, tried to calm him. “What? What’s going on? Why are you shaking?”

Vegeta buried his face in his hands. “Did you…did you tell them?”

“Tell them what?”

“What you did! What you did to me!”

Piccolo’s face fell into abject horror. “Vegeta, gods, no! Of course not. Fuck, even if…even if I wouldn’t die of my own shame, I would never, never tell anyone that! That’s yours to tell, if you choose, but it’s not mine.”

Vegeta bit out, “You told Dende.”

“Not at first. I took you to him to heal you because you were dying after your fall. He drew his own conclusions from seeing…seeing your other wounds: what I’d done. He confronted me after I took the memories from you, and I was a wreck. He was going to banish me if I didn’t explain what had happened. He pressed me about how I’d treated you in general. It was so humiliating, but it…it…he…he helped me get my shit together.”

“What if this plan of yours makes Kami resurface?”

“Then I will end him. Like an internal amputation.”

Vegeta sighed, covering his face again. “When?”

“Tomorrow. I want to go before the eggs hatch and interrupt.”

“Fine. I grudgingly agree, but I’m leaving if it’s weird, and I want to tell you explicitly, right now, that I think this a terrible idea and if it goes to shit, it’s on you.”

Piccolo’s eyes were wide and bright. His brows shot up as he smiled hesitantly. “Really?”

“Yes. Really.”

He hugged Vegeta tightly, though he was mindful of his suppurating mark. “Can I go tell them? Do you want to come with me to tell them?”

“No. You go. I just lost a lot more blood. I need to lie down.”

“I can take you to the healing pod.”

“No, but you can go clean it. I cleaned it last time, you can pull your weight, since this is your fault.”

Piccolo smirked. “It seems unfair to divide things by weight, given how heavy you are.”

Vegeta rolled his eyes, but laughed. “Go, your giddiness is terrible. Get out of here.”

* * *

Vegeta was restless that night, unable to sleep. He rebuffed Piccolo’s advances despite knowing that a good orgasm or two would probably help him sleep. Piccolo kissed his shoulders when Vegeta curled away from him.

“Hey. You wanna talk,” Piccolo whispered in the darkness.

“No. Go to sleep.”

“Vegeta…” Piccolo pushed him gently onto his back.

“Don’t, Piccolo. I’m not going to be in the mood and this kind of shit still…still sucks. Leave me be. You’ll get fucked plenty tomorrow,” Vegeta growled and threw his arm over his eyes.

“I’m not trying to get fucked, I’m trying to make sure my mate is okay.”

Vegeta snorted. “Well, he's not. He’ll be better when this whole mess is over.”

Piccolo snuggled into his arms, rested his head on Vegeta’s chest, his large body nearly covering Vegeta’s. Then Piccolo said, “I know you’re doing this for me, for them, but I wish you’d try. I wish you’d try to have fun.”

“Fuck, Piccolo, it’s hard for me to think of being…intimate with her and him. Together. It’s hard to think of them together at all, okay? Fuck. And then to add them touching you—“

“I don’t think there’ll be much of that—“

“Oh yes there will. There’s only one of me. Gods, am I allowed to drink?”

“You can, but I won’t be, for obvious reasons.”

Vegeta’s stomach roiled. “No, I won't either.” Vegeta took a deep breath and whispered, “What…what about _theadurs_? I don’t think I can handle them touching yours. And…I don’t know if I want you touching Talon’s.”

Piccolo’s silence cut Vegeta. He said flatly, “Yeah. Okay. Whatever you want.”

“Well now you sound fucking morose. What did you two Nameks decide in your planning meetings?”

“Neither of us has ever…we both left Namek before we were sexually mature, so…we’ve never gotten to…to…”

“Fuck a _theadur_?” Vegeta said, trying not to sound exasperated, but failing.

“Or even, you know, touch one.”

“Oh fine. Fuck. So complicated. Foursomes seem complicated enough without three different species and genders at play. Gods.”

“Is that what’s been bothering you?”

“No.”

“Then what?”

“All of it. All of it fucking bothers me. Why something that I so vehemently don’t want is the thing my mark wants? Why any of this needed to happen? Why I had to suffer for this stupid fucking thing? Why you want it so badly? It all fucking bothers me.”

“Vegeta…do you really not want it?”

“It feels risky.”

“But you do, at least a little?”

“I don’t even know, Piccolo. It doesn’t matter. Maybe the mark just wants it because _you_ want it so badly and it’s my spousal duty to please you,” Vegeta said, hating the venom in his voice.

Piccolo rolled off him and away. “I don’t want to do it if you feel that way.”

“Am I allowed to be upset?” Vegeta growled, “You’re expecting a lot from me, Piccolo. This has been really fucking hard. You did something really heinous when I expressed neutrality—not even interest—but fucking neutrality about this. So…You know what. Fuck this.” He got up and dressed, flying off before Piccolo could answer him.

Vegeta was still light-headed from blood-loss, so he didn’t go far, just to the coast where they did their training. The craters pulled at his heart as he touched down near one. He fell on his back, suppressed his chi, and looked up at the stars that were so familiar now. He had gotten soft on this planet. Maybe he should have tried harder to leave after Namek. But even the thought tore at his wound. No, even now he knew he could never have cured himself of Piccolo. Eventually, counting the stars, he fell to sleep.

* * *

Piccolo’s voice woke him in his mind: _Are we doing this or not?_

Vegeta blinked in the blazing sun. _Yes, I’ll come pack._

_Already done. I’ll pick you up._

_I need a shower. Badly._

_There’s showers there._

Vegeta sat up. He felt less bloodless. He had a large, crusted, dark patch of blood down the leg of his pants, but when he checked the wound, it was closed, though still angry and weeping. A few black threads reached out, looking for anything to tie onto, to help drag Vegeta into the depths.

Piccolo dropped down astride him and purred, “I remember making this one, this was the first time you fingered my _theadur_ while fucking me.” Vegeta smiled against his will. Piccolo bent and kissed him. He murmured, “Don't be mad at me. Please? Can I cheer you up? Just the two of us?”

“I think I'd better save my stamina for the orgy, my demon. Let’s go so I can maybe shower before they get there.”

“They’re already there.”

“Can I please go home and shower so I don’t have to go into this feeling disgusting? I have blood everywhere.” Piccolo was dressed in light gray linen pants and a tropical shirt with flowers and leaves in every shade of blue Vegeta could imagine. It reminded him of the clothes Talon favored. He slipped his hand under the shirt and reached into Piccolo’s pants, gripping his rising hard-on.

Piccolo’s breath caught in his throat. “That’s not showering.”

“I said I needed my stamina, not yours. I’m going to start the day reminding you why you chose me.” Vegeta rose into the air, holding Piccolo and stroking his cock as Vegeta flew them home. “And I have to take you home so I don’t dirty up your pretty outfit.”

Piccolo chuckled, kissing Vegeta as he said, "Maybe I'll pick a pretty outfit for you too.”

“You’ve never liked anything more than you like my training shorts.”

“Mmm…Because you’re basically naked in those. But I might play dress up with you. I’ve seen how optimistically Bulma stocked your closet. Talon dresses gorgeously, I’ll give him that.”

Vegeta laughed and said, “I bought almost all his clothes. I picked most of them out.” Vegeta set them down on their feet. He slowly undid Piccolo’s shirt buttons with his free hand, his other steadily stroking Piccolo inside his pants. Vegeta murmured, “Don’t get too excited, these pants look excellent on you—I wouldn’t want you to have to choose something else.”

Piccolo shoved his own pants off and pulled Vegeta toward the shower, tearing off his bloodied pants on the way. Vegeta growled, “Now that I have you in the shower, I’m not sure I can resist you.” Piccolo was gasping against Vegeta’s neck where he bent to suck it. Vegeta commanded, “Get on all fours.”

Piccolo did. Vegeta dropped behind him as blood swirled around them on its way to the drain. He drove into Piccolo’s _theadur_ with no foreplay, reaching around to grab his demon’s prick.

“Fuck, Vegeta, you feel so good. Rough, my love, hard.”

Vegeta pumped into him savagely, letting out some of his rage at the entire situation. They both came quickly, but as he pulled out, he bit Piccolo’s ass and rasped, “I want to fuck your ass, too.”

Piccolo moaned and stuck his ass out, putting his chest on the floor to display himself. Vegeta grabbed the lube and started fingering Piccolo, warming him up, and soon Piccolo gasped, “Fuck me, please, please, please!”

Vegeta teased him, only rubbing his head over Piccolo’s open, hungry knot until Piccolo reached back and thrust Vegeta inside himself with a harsh cry. Piccolo took the reins and fucked Vegeta hard. Vegeta loved it, loved being fucked as a top, by his mate. Piccolo growled, “You’re going to come so hard in my ass, Vegeta, but you’re going to wait until I’m ready.” Piccolo slammed back against Vegeta, and when Vegeta reached around to grab him, Piccolo said, “No you don’t, you fucking earn this cum, Vegeta. Now. Come in me so hard you set me off.”

Vegeta cried out, loving when Piccolo was so dominant without violence. His cum sprayed inside his demon and he could feel his dick twitching deep in Piccolo’s core. Piccolo bellowed and reached back to hold their bodies tightly together as his knot squeezed Vegeta. Vegeta saw Piccolo’s pearly seed flow down the drain and he gasped with a powerful aftershock. Piccolo groaned more and slammed against Vegeta a few more times.

Vegeta held his hips and gingerly pulled out. He stood over Piccolo, who remained stretched on the tile like a cat. Vegeta bent and bit each of Piccolo’s ass cheeks. His breath caught in his throat as he saw his semen clinging to Piccolo’s bud. Memories from Vegeta’s time with Talon accosted him, but he didn’t care. Vegeta spit on his fingers and slid one into Piccolo’s cum-slick opening.

Piccolo gasped, “Oh, my love…” but trailed off as Vegeta fingered him slowly, deeply, added a second, and pushed Piccolo over the edge, watching his climax hungrily before helping him to his feet.

Vegeta kissed him and said, “Sorry I made you come back to shower.”

Piccolo chuckled and ran his hands through Vegeta’s wet hair. “I don’t think you’re sorry at all.”

Vegeta gave him an evil grin, a relic of his former life and said, squeezing Piccolo’s half-hard cock, “You’re right, I’m not even a tiny bit sorry. Now let me clean up and you can dress me for our big outing.”

Piccolo dressed him in lightweight, slinky slacks a slightly darker shade of gray than his own, and a tailored, button-down shirt in a rich, deeply saturated shade of royal blue, like lapis lazuli. Those were fine with Vegeta, but the footwear was not. “Why do you get to wear…whatever those are? These flips-flaps, as you call them, are absurd. What is the point?”

“I like your feet. You have sexy feet.”

Vegeta snorted. “They’ll fall off while I fly.”

Piccolo took them off and added them to their capsule. “Stop complaining,” he whispered with a kiss.

“I still don’t understand how you can look this hot dressed when you’re so hot naked,” Vegeta paused to inspect himself. “But let’s go, they’re probably thinking we wussed out.”

“I told them we’d be there by lunch, so we have plenty of time.”

“Then why weren’t you going to let me shower?” Vegeta huffed.

“I thought it might be difficult to get you out once you were home, which is proving to the be the case,” Piccolo said.

“I’m not being difficult!” Vegeta said and took off as if to prove his point. But he stopped and shouted, “Shit, I don't have my phone if Bunny calls!”

“I have it and mine and chargers. Bulma and Talon also have theirs.”

“But…why does Talon have a phone?”

“Vegeta, I think he’s here to stay, at least for the foreseeable future,” Piccolo said and Vegeta was surprised that he looked truly sympathetic, and maybe it was only because that would cause Piccolo misery, but Vegeta chose to believe that Piccolo understood why that would be hard for Vegeta.

Vegeta swallowed hard. Now that they were really and truly on their way, Vegeta was nervous. He feared his emotions getting out of hand. He feared his body wouldn’t behave. He feared what he might do if Bulma or Talon brought Piccolo more pleasure than he did. Tears stung his eyes and he breathed a curse as he swiped at them. Vegeta screeched to a halt. “Go ahead, I’ll follow,” he called as Piccolo zipped past him.

Piccolo stopped and circled back. “No way. You have that crazy look in your eyes, your ‘I’m-about-to-freak-out’ look.”

Vegeta held himself together, though he shook uncontrollably. “I’m fine. I just need a minute. Go ahead.”

Piccolo wrapped his arms around Vegeta. “Hey, what’s going on? You’re fucking trembling.” His eyebrows scrunched together in concern.

“What if you like them more? What if you get a taste for _theadur_? What if you hurt me…in front of them…Promise me that if you hurt me, you’ll do it where they don’t see!”

Piccolo looked wounded and whispered, “I am not going to fucking hurt you, Vegeta. And I have my own fucking supply of _theadur,_ ” Piccolo said with a snort, “Stop being stupid, my love. Neither of these two is going to hold a candle to you in bed, but even if they did, I love you, remember? You’re my only. Is this what you’ve been worried about? That _I’ll_ fall for one of them? Or that I’ll rape you in front of them, for fuck’s sake?”

Vegeta nodded. Speaking wasn’t a possibility.

Piccolo held his jaw and kissed him. “I conquered the will of a god to get back to you. Nothing will take me away, but certainly not a little taste of Namek and some pussy. And you’ll see, I’ve fucking changed. I’m not going to hurt you this weekend, or ever again. You’ll see, my love.” 

They flew on, now with Piccolo’s hand on Vegeta’s lower back underneath his shirt. In the distance, Vegeta saw the island and he focused on his breathing to keep himself steady. As it drew nearer, he saw them in the water, Bulma in Talon’s arms.

Vegeta’s heart twisted bitterly in his chest at the same time as he got hard. He grumbled, “Fuck, let the games begin.”

“What?” Piccolo asked as they descended.

“Nothing,” Vegeta said, and he wished it were nothing to him.


	9. Four's Company

Bulma waved and called out to them cheerily. Talon put her on his shoulders and waded out of the crystalline turquoise water, water the color of Bulma's eyes. They were wearing swimsuits, though neither left anything to the imagination: Bulma in a bright orange thong bikini whose top looked three sizes too small; Talon in black, skintight shorts barely long enough to cover his taut, muscular ass.

A chimera mix of catastrophic lust and acidic jealousy and welling panic flooded Vegeta. He considered fleeing. He said telepathically to Piccolo, _I think this is a bad idea. A terrible idea._

Piccolo smirked and nodded to Vegeta’s thin, flowing pants and replied, _Doesn’t look like you think it’s a bad idea._

Vegeta ground his teeth. The back of his nose stung. His wound hurt, though it hadn’t yet torn open. _I’m terrified you’ll hurt me again,_ he reiterated mentally, turning his face away with the shame of his inability to trust his mate. He shouted aloud, “I’m going inside to unpack. I’ll be back.” He needed a minute to collect himself. Piccolo trailed after him with a deep frown.

Once they were inside, Piccolo whispered, “I know I’ve never given you a reason to trust me, and so many not to, but please,” he kissed Vegeta’s knuckles, “Please give me a chance, Vegeta.”

Vegeta looked up into his demon’s eyes, his heart tearing itself apart. “This is really what you want?”

“Yes. It is. I mean it. I want it, and I want you to do whatever you want, all weekend. Don’t worry about me. Do anything you desire. Anything. I mean it. Don’t worry about anything.”

“I can’t. It’s not in my nature to _not_ worry about things. So get used to having two conversations going all the time, because I may need…reassurance. Is that okay?”

“Of course. You can ask me out loud if you want. Whatever you want. And if you’re…if you’re too scared to enjoy yourself around me, I don’t need to be present while you’re with them. It can just be the three of you.” Piccolo’s eyes searched the floor before meeting Vegeta’s again.

“No, my demon, no. I’m just fragile. Still fragile,” Vegeta whispered.

“Do you want to tell them?” Piccolo asked in a quiet voice.

“No!”

“Are you—“

“No! Piccolo! The shame and humiliation would kill me. Literally kill me. Don’t you dare. I’d rather have it happen again than have anyone else know. It’s bad enough that Dende knows.”

“Okay. Want to get our suits on?”

“Why are we all wearing swimsuits when we came here to have an orgy?” Vegeta groused.

Piccolo gave him a grin and said, “Isn’t it a bit titillating to _not_ get to see them naked?”

Vegeta supposed it was. Piccolo slipped into a blood red suit much like Talon’s. He handed Vegeta a suit in the same rich shade of blue as his shirt. He stepped into it, liked it more than he wanted to admit: it was like extra-short training shorts. He said, “You must like me in blue.”

Piccolo smirked and breathed across Vegeta’s ear, “I like you best in green, this green,” and he pushed Vegeta’s fingers between his legs, around the edge of his suit and into his sheath.

“Fuck, Piccolo…” Vegeta gasped, and leaned heavily into Piccolo’s broad green chest, “Fuck…I…oh gods, Piccolo, oh gods, you feel amazing…you’re going to…” Piccolo plunged his hand into Vegeta’s suit, stroked him firmly. “Piccolo, you’re going to make me come in my shorts if you keep—“

“I’ll fix it. It’s useful having a magical husband,” Piccolo whispered and groaned as Vegeta fingered him harder, pulling his suit off to the side.

Vegeta pumped into Piccolo’s hand like he hadn’t had sex in a decade, not half an hour. He came so quickly he was embarrassed, but Piccolo’s _theadur_ gripped him hungrily and spasmed almost as quickly as Piccolo started glowing.

Piccolo took his cum-sticky hand out of Vegeta’s shorts and kissed him breathlessly. “The hardest part is going to be keeping my hands off you for more than a few minutes. Gods, I love you, Vegeta. I love fucking you.”

“Likewise, my demon. Now are you going to clean up our mess?” Vegeta smirked, patting Piccolo’s obvious wet spot.

“They’d probably happily clean you with their tongues.”

“You said you’d fix it.”

Piccolo kissed him as he tapped Vegeta’s ass, then his own, and their shorts were dry. They strolled hand in hand out to greet Bulma and Talon. Vegeta tried to approach the inferno of jealousy and arousal that engulfed him with mindfulness. To let it wash over him, not consume him. To observe it without judgement. To not worry about how he _should_ feel. He stared, heart aching, at Talon writhing above Bulma in the sand, the waves washing over them. Talon saw them before Bulma and whispered in her ear. She giggled and blushed.

Piccolo smacked Vegeta’s ass and bent to kiss him as he wrapped his arm around Vegeta. Talon pulled Bulma to her feet and the foursome stood facing each other in the warm, late morning sun. Talon’s lopsided smile curled his lips as he met Vegeta’s gaze. Vegeta said grumpily, “Well, you three are the plotters, how do we kick this party off? Ro-sham-bo? Draw lots? Just a feral free-for-all?”

Bulma smacked Vegeta’s arm. She knew her casual, pathetic blows irritated him. She laughed as he made a face. “How can you be crabby about a foursome?” She stepped forward and kissed him.

Vegeta’s pulse skyrocketed. His eyes were wide and he tried to use his peripheral vision to see Piccolo’s response. His demon looked smug. Vegeta’s heart thudded even harder as Piccolo growled, “Guess you’re stuck with me for now, little Namek.”

Talon’s mouth curled into a half-smile that Vegeta knew and treasured still, in the secret chambers of his heart. Vegeta’s arms wrapped around Bulma, seemingly of their own accord, as Talon looked Piccolo up and down and purred, “I don’t think ‘stuck’ is the way I’d describe it.”

Piccolo pulled Talon up to kiss him. Molten rage and lust flowed through Vegeta’s veins. He hated and wanted both of them in that moment. Bulma kissed down his neck as her hands trailed over his body, her nails deliberately scratching him. She whispered, “Calm down. You’ll have them too, together, if you want. Don’t tell me you haven’t missed my pussy even a little?”

Her soft teasing brought Vegeta out of the red cloud of anger. It did feel good to grip her soft, feminine body, so narrow in places, so full in others. No part of her was hard or rigid. He squeezed her voluptuous ass in his hands. Then he saw Talon’s hand was already in Piccolo’s shorts. Vegeta couldn’t breathe, thinking about Talon touching Piccolo’s mating scar, his dick. His _theadur_.

Bulma held his face. “Vegeta? You okay?”

“No,” he said flatly and launched into the air. Piccolo rammed into him, knocking the wind out of him, and throwing him to the ground. “Leave me alone, Piccolo!”

Piccolo pinned him in a straddle, kissed him savagely, and said, _He’s not touching it, okay?_

_I can’t do this. I can’t. I’m too jealous,_ Vegeta said. They were all on him now. Talon was sucking one of his nipples. Bulma was behind Piccolo pulling off Vegeta’s shorts. “Knock that off, woman!”

“You don’t look like you want me to stop,” she purred.

Vegeta turned frantic eyes to Piccolo. _Please, please, no. It’s too rapey. Please. Stop them or I’ll lose my hard-on,_ he pleaded silently.

Piccolo gently pushed Bulma and Talon off, helped Vegeta to his feet. He said, “Maybe we should swim a bit. Our prince needs more of an adjustment period.”

Bulma kissed Vegeta’s cheek, then his mouth. She experimentally pulled Piccolo down to kiss her and said merrily, “Good gods you’re tall. A girl could hurt her neck kissing you. It’s lucky your boyfriend can fly.”

“Husband,” Vegeta growled low in his throat, but he felt better about Bulma kissing Piccolo. He mentally whispered, _I’m okay. That’s…easier._

Talon met Vegeta’s eyes shyly and Vegeta nodded toward the water and said, “I’m going in to get the fucking sand off.”

Talon followed. Bulma and Piccolo kissed more enthusiastically once they left and Vegeta found that development upsetting. He found everything upsetting. But Talon's fingers slipping between his pulled him out of his own rumination. He looked at their hands together and felt their skin pressed together and such a powerful wave of memories inundated him that he stopped in knee deep water, turned to look at Talon.

It felt strange to be so close to him. Eye to eye with a Namek again. Talon blushed and Vegeta thought again how pretty Talon was. Vegeta said to Piccolo, _Did you mean it? Did you mean I should do what I want? Even if it’s fucking him?_

_Gods, yes, Vegeta, I just hope I can watch at least once._

Vegeta leaned toward Talon, whose eyes fluttered closed, and kissed him deeply, bringing another torrent of memory and nostalgia. The first time Talon had whispered that he loved Vegeta while they made slow, languid love, the first time Vegeta let Talon, or anyone, rim him, the first time Talon had guided Vegeta’s fingers into his _theadur_. Talon’s pretty face only half-jokingly suggesting they pair-bond like Raditz and Nappa. Vegeta’s heart thumped, wondering what might have been if Talon had come with him when he broke ranks and mutinied.

But Vegeta knew. Talon would have died. Vegeta knew that, cognitively. But it had been so sweet. And fulfilling. And fun. And passionate. And loving. Talon had been his everything. He had left his everything to the depredation of Zarbon. Left him and never looked back. Vegeta was a monster. 

Vegeta thought of those things as he pressed his mouth to Talon’s for the first time in six years. Talon sighed happily and melted into Vegeta’s arms. Vegeta held him a long moment, kissing him and letting himself delve into the past in a way he hadn’t since that long, horrible flight to Earth. Vegeta hoped that what they were doing—what Vegeta was doing—would help Talon. Not hurt him. Vegeta didn’t want to hurt Talon any more than he already had. But now that he was kissing Talon, he didn’t think he could stop. Talon’s kisses had always been Vegeta’s weakness.

“Gods, Talon…” Vegeta whispered helplessly as he lifted the petite Namek onto his hips and waded deeper into the sea.

Talon kissed him hungrily, but Vegeta didn’t feel it was hunger for anything else—just for kissing. He caressed Vegeta’s face, his neck, his shoulders, down his back. His fingertips grazed Vegeta’s tail scar. “Mmm…I miss your tail,” Talon said, sounding wistful.

Vegeta smirked and whispered against Talon’s lips, “You did always love what I could do with my tail.”

“You know you had nothing to do with it. That thing had a mind of its own. And it loved me. Your tail always loved me.” Talon said, his lopsided smile quirking his lips as he massaged the scar.

“You didn’t seem shocked that it was gone,” Vegeta murmured against Talon’s jaw as he kissed his pretty Namek’s jaw and neck and sucked on his earrings, still the ones Vegeta had given him so long ago.

“One of the workers who put you in the healing pod on base told me that they’d been unable to regrow it.”

“Oh,” Vegeta said, the pleasant euphoria draining away to reveal the shittiness underneath.

Talon tipped his face up and kissed him again. “I’m okay, Vegeta. So is she. It’s okay,” he whispered and kissed Vegeta more fervently, “I still miss you, though. I still…I still love you. I know you don’t love me back. And it's okay. I just…this is nice. It’s nice to get to kiss you. I missed kissing you. Especially at the end, when you wouldn’t anymore,” Talon said, and looked down and away.

Vegeta smiled sadly. “Yes, it's nice to kiss you too. I have so many good memories with you. My only good memories until I died.”  Talon's lopsided smile returned and Vegeta’s hands roamed over his body. Talon kept his legs wrapped tightly around Vegeta’s waist. Vegeta kissed along Talon’s mouth more, more desperately. He murmured, “Talon…I…I missed you after I left. I’m so sorry I hurt you. I thought I could overthrow him. I thought I could come back and beg your forgiveness. But I failed. I’m so sorry.”

Talon’s lips remembered how to play Vegeta’s so perfectly, his tongue still knew the dance. Talon rasped, “At least we have this. We can say goodbye more…lovingly.” 

Vegeta flashed back to the final, angry, time they had had sex. Could practically feel Talon's claws raking down his back. Talon had cried the whole time. Vegeta had sobbed, but had still managed to say such cruel things to his first love. Vegeta pushed the memory away, stayed with Talon now, kissing him. His lust rose, along with other things. He gasped between kisses as Talon’s hands explored Vegeta’s body, “Have you…have you let her?”

“Oh…yes…I have,” Talon answered and laughed. His smile showed a glint of his fangs. “Her hands are very small…delicate. Not like yours.”

“Is that okay?” Vegeta said, wanting Talon to be happy, fulfilled, replete.

“Yeah. It is. It’s not you, but it’s okay.”

“Is _this_ a good idea, Talon?” Vegeta said, rolling his hips against his petite Namek’s straining hard-on.

Talon kissed him more and said, “Yeah, it is. We both need this. You don’t want me to touch his, do you?”

Vegeta grimaced. “I confess that I do not. The thought makes me feral. Though the idea of him touching yours also makes me feel alarmingly feral.”

“Vegeta?” Talon said, his eyes wide and guileless.

“Mmm?” Vegeta answered, sucking along Talon’s lovely jawline.

“You loved me, back then? You weren’t faking it? Because I really thought you loved me. Forever loved me. I wasn't a fool for…for letting you?”

“No, you weren’t a fool. I did love you. So much. More than I thought I was capable of loving. I broke my own heart too, with what I did. I’m ashamed of what I did, Talon. I wish I could’ve thought of a better way at the time. I was blind to everything but that path.”

Talon’s mouth crushed his and their tongues twined together, Vegeta’s hips moving harder against Talon, making him groan in Vegeta's mouth. He pulled back to gasp, “Would you?”

“Would I what?” Vegeta breathed.

“Would you fuck me, like that?”

“It’s awful to pull out, Talon. It’s not worth it. Trust me. You must’ve known that back then.”

“I know…Bulma and I, we don’t want you to pull out.”

Vegeta stopped kissing to search Talon’s eyes. He said, “That…I need to talk to Piccolo about.”

Talon's eyes were so intense Vegeta almost turned away and Talon said, “He said it's fine. That it’s up to you.”

“ _You_ asked him? Seriously?” Vegeta felt his temper rise again. He felt left out, now, as much as anything. How long and how much had they been discussing this thing? Why hadn’t he been brought into these talks?

Vegeta gently pushed Talon off his hips, but Talon kept his arms around his neck as he said, “Don’t be mad, Vegeta.”

“When was all this plotting happening?”

“While you trained. You’re always training. You’re like a machine. I’m a little glad you couldn’t do so much when we were together. I got so much of you when you were on base.”

Vegeta ignored Talon for the moment, reached out to Piccolo, _Is it true?_

Piccolo and Bulma were sixty-nining on a blanket on the beach. His demon’s voice rumbled in his mind, _Mmm-hmm, it’s your choice. He wants a child, to bear a child, and Bulma does too and she can’t give him that. You’re the obvious choice. Then Trunks would share blood with all his siblings if Bulma is able to carry Talon’s child to term._

Vegeta felt staggered. Gut-punched. _Is that what this whole thing is really about? Me being a sperm-donor?_

_Vegeta, I’m kind of busy. Do what you want. We’re here tomorrow too. You can think about it._

Vegeta tried to refocus on Talon, to tear his eyes away from what was happening on the beach. He said, “I need to think, Talon. I didn’t even want _theadurs_ on the table for this.”

“I know, but…you’re who I would choose. Who I did choose. Long ago.”

Vegeta looked into Talon’s eyes, felt tears stinging in his own. “I’m scared that it will…awaken…feelings that I don't want.”

“I know you’re pair-bonded, Vegeta. I accept that.”

“But I don’t want to feel torn.” He lowered his own voice, “Any more torn than I already do! I don’t want to love you again! This has been hard enough as is.”

Talon looked flummoxed. He said, “What, why is it hard for _you_?”

“It’s hard to see two of my former loves together. I still care for both of you, so I’m happy that you’re both happy, but…I…I…I’m not immune to pettiness. To jealousy. To nostalgia.” Talon’s little smug smile made Vegeta want to kiss it off his mouth and punch him at the same time. He continued, “It sucks, okay?”

“Yeah, that’s how we feel.”

Vegeta ground his teeth, but Talon took his face in his hands, kissed him, and said, “Vegeta, let’s at least make out. They’re having fun, why don't we?” He gestured toward the beach.

Shock ripped through Vegeta, even though he should have known. Bulma was fucking Piccolo. His demon was on his back and Bulma was riding him, her breasts bouncing beautifully. Vegeta stared, his mouth agape, his eyes bulging. Talon was behind him and reached around Vegeta’s waist. He whispered, “Piccolo said you're an amazing bottom. I’ve never…I’ve never done it, but I would, if you want.”

Vegeta tore his eyes away from Bulma fucking his husband and stammered, “Should…should…we, by them? I…I have no idea how this works. Gods, is there anything you three didn’t discuss?”

Talon pushed his own swimsuit down, then Vegeta’s, turned Vegeta around so their hard-ons rubbed together just below the surface of the water, and he whispered, “Lots of things. Think of us as your fan club. He never would tell us what happened when you got so sick.”

Vegeta froze and willed his hard-on not to die. He kissed Talon aggressively, determined to leave that conversation behind. He growled into Talon’s ear, “I want to fuck you first. You never wanted to fuck me before, what changed your mind?”

“I thought you’d be too…tense. And it’s really not my preference. But…I would. If you want it. It’d be fun.”

“No, I’d rather do what we were good at.”

“You don’t think I’d be a good top?” Talon asked, looking wounded.

“No, but I would be a wreck right now as a bottom. Now shut up and come here. We're going inside because spit won’t cut it, and sand is the worst.”

Vegeta carried Talon on his hips again as they made their way toward the main house, since Vegeta didn't know whether his own cabin or Talon’s was the correct choice. Vegeta heard the telltale sounds of Piccolo approaching his peak and his cock hardened more. He let himself slow, looked into Talon’s eyes, and whispered, “Can I watch for a minute?”

Talon grinned. “Of course.”

Vegeta moved so he could see Piccolo’s dick sliding in and out of Bulma, but also see her tits. He set Talon down, and Talon moved behind him, tugged gently on Vegeta’s balls for a moment, then stroked his cock. He reached his other clawed hand around to push Vegeta’s face to the side so he could kiss Vegeta over his shoulder while they could both still watch.

Vegeta gasped, between kisses, “Maybe…maybe I do want you to fuck me…because I need him. I need my demon.”

Talon looked startled, but not hurt. Vegeta dropped to his knees on the blanket and bent to kiss Piccolo’s mouth. Piccolo’s eyes popped open and his hands flew off Bulma’s thighs to hold Vegeta’s face. Vegeta said, “Got any lube out here?”

Piccolo nodded toward a picnic basket that was filled entirely with sex accoutrements. Then his demon groaned, rising up against Bulma, “You gonna let Talon fuck you?”

“Yes, I believe I will.”

Piccolo grinned up at Talon and said, “Do a good job!”

Talon laughed, a little nervously, Vegeta thought, but the smaller Namek said, “I’ll see what I can do.”

Vegeta angled himself on all fours so that Talon was next to Bulma. She leaned and kissed him as Piccolo rolled into her. She said breathlessly, “Hey, cutie, having fun?”

“Gods, yes,” Talon murmured against her lips.

Vegeta reared back up onto his knees and kissed Bulma. Kissed Talon, watched them kiss more, then kissed Talon more and rasped, “You ever finger an ass?”

He shook his head.

Piccolo spoke up before Vegeta could. “Come here, Talon. Vegeta, you turn around and straddle me, kiss Bulma if you want. I’ll show him around your sweet ass.”

At last, Vegeta understood the appeal of the foursome. With that one statement, Vegeta got so hard that he thought he might never be soft again. He faced Bulma as he maneuvered over Piccolo’s body. She seemed delighted to touch and kiss Vegeta. “Gods, Vegeta, your body,” she said, trailing her soft hands over him, “It’s a hard body to shake.”

Vegeta felt Piccolo smear lube on his ass, a shallow entry, more lube, then another as he murmured to Talon about being careful and gentle. Vegeta heard his demon growl, “Don’t fucking hurt him.”

“I’m like half your size, Piccolo,” Talon protested.

“I would think as a lifelong bottom, you would appreciate that size isn’t the only factor as to whether someone hurts you.”

Talon said, “True, here, let me.”

Three of his lovers were touching him at once. Vegeta panted as he took it in. Bulma had taken authoritative hold of his prick. He gasped against her mouth, licked his fingers, and pressed them to her clit as Talon hesitantly slipped his finger into Vegeta and started thrusting. Vegeta turned and whispered, “Easy, easy, I’m not a pro. Treat me like I first treated you.”

“You were amazing,” Talon said, giving Vegeta his perfect smile.

“Nobody has ever regretted being fucked in the ass by Vegeta,” Piccolo said in a low, sultry voice as he continued to rock into Bulma. “Vegeta, can I fuck you to show him—then he can fuck you?”

Vegeta’s cock twitched. “But you’re fucking Bulma. He’ll do—“

Bulma interrupted him, screaming, and she clamped Vegeta’s hand hard against her clit. Her pussy spasmed wildly on Piccolo. His demon gasped and bucked up into Bulma, gripping her hips in his large hands. He breathed heavily and gasped, “I think…I think we’re good,” as he smiled and continued, “My first pussy! Thanks, Bulma!”

She pulled unceremoniously off him and flopped down beside him as he turned to kiss her, squeezing her breast, twirling her nipple with the tip of his finger. She said, “Mmm…well, you missed your chance to be my first Namek, but you’re not a half-bad second.” She grabbed Talon’s face and kissed him. “But my first was pretty stellar.”

Piccolo kissed Vegeta and bumped their foreheads together. “Okay if I fuck you?”

_You’re not going to hurt me?_ Vegeta asked, his cheeks flushing with shame, _I’m nervous._

_No. This is so hot. I’m having fun. And I’m not jealous, even if you want to skip straight to Talon. I just want him to do it right. Do you right._

Vegeta looked at Talon and smirked. “Piccolo, I have a better idea. What if I fuck you, how I like to be fucked, and he can fuck me while I fuck you?” Talon’s prick strained and pre-cum dripped out of him. Vegeta kissed Talon and Piccolo, then continued, “As long as Talon’s okay riding behind?”

Talon nodded enthusiastically and Piccolo tapped the ground, and a soft platform rose up underneath Piccolo. Vegeta’s eyes widened and he said, “Why do we have to keep replacing our bed if you can do that?”

Piccolo shrugged and pulled his legs up. Vegeta turned to kiss Talon over his shoulder and murmured, "Can you see, Talon?” But Vegeta could see his eyes were on Piccolo’s _theadur_ as Piccolo pulled at his balls, bringing them up and revealing the secret sheath. Vegeta thought about all he had taken from Talon, but this was something he could give, and it seemed less horrible now, if not exactly okay.

Vegeta kissed Talon more and took his hand. He slid their laced fingertips up Piccolo’s taint, onto the hidden slit. Piccolo curled up on his elbows, his eyes unsure as he searched Vegeta’s. Vegeta mentally said, _Okay?_

_Okay for you?_

_Yes._

_Me too_ , his demon answered with a gentle smile.

Vegeta slipped Talon’s fingers inside Piccolo and both Namek’s gasped, their eyes meeting as their lids slid down heavily. Vegeta helped Talon start doing what Piccolo liked, circling with three, thrusting deeply some, then adding another.

Piccolo glowed brightly and Vegeta felt a painful flare of jealousy that Talon’s hand had started to glow, veins of light running up his forearm. Piccolo rasped, “More, please, I need more.”

Vegeta murmured in Talon’s ear, “You know what to do. Bring my demon home. I’m going to suck him off.” Bulma watched Talon attentively and Vegeta smiled.

Piccolo stopped him and said, “Vegeta, finger my ass. I want to watch him. I want to watch him when I come and I’m so close.”

Fear and jealousy rose in Vegeta, dark and thick. But he tried to keep his head above it as he circled Piccolo’s knot, dipped into him carefully. He pushed smoothly and deeply inside him, tapping Piccolo’s prostate as Talon rotated his wrist so his knuckles would rub Piccolo’s sheath just right. Piccolo wailed, spraying semen up to his own chin, his asshole gripping Vegeta so tightly that Vegeta groaned, longing to thrust into his demon and fuck him rough.

Talon’s face transformed into shocked bliss as Piccolo’s sheath squeezed him, but he surprised everyone as he lunged for Vegeta and kissed Vegeta hard. Vegeta instinctively took Talon’s cock in his hand and brought him off like it hadn’t been six years since he’d last done it. Talon had him too, and Vegeta didn’t have time to feel guilt as his first love showed Vegeta that he hadn’t forgotten Vegeta’s preferred style of hand-job either.

Bulma stroked Piccolo and Vegeta kept working his prostate until another long stream shot out of him. Talon kissed Vegeta desperately and groaned, “I need you to fuck me, Vegeta, please.”

Vegeta glanced at Piccolo, but he looked completely content, so Vegeta laid Talon on his back and started caressing his bud, circling it, teasing him with his fingertips. Talon growled, “Don’t fuck around, Vegeta, I’m no virgin,” as he grabbed Vegeta’s cock.

Talon relaxed and Vegeta plunged into him deeply as he pushed Talon’s slender green legs up and wide. Piccolo was up now and kissing Vegeta’s neck and shoulders. He said, “Can I fuck you, my love? While you fuck him?” and continued silently, _I’ll be so gentle. Please._

Vegeta gasped his assent. He was overcome as he pulsed into Talon, rocking until he was as deep as he could go in his first Namek, his first love. He paused as Piccolo fingered him, but Piccolo followed his lead and they found a rolling rhythm together.

Piccolo tapped the ground again and Talon rose up, making all of them laugh. Piccolo curled against Vegeta and murmured, “Can I? You mind holding still while I’m going in?”

Vegeta kissed Piccolo hard over his shoulder, then bent himself over Talon and spreading himself for his demon. He was tense, scared, but he thought of how terrible his wound had been until he let Piccolo have him again. Piccolo pressed against his tight opening and Vegeta released a shuddering breath, opened himself completely, and Piccolo eased into him slowly.

“Oh, my love, you feel amazing, gods, yes,” Piccolo cried out, his hands caressing Vegeta’s whole backside.

Passion and love ripped through Vegeta at the brazenness of what they were doing, and yet how completely unabashed Piccolo was in openly declaring his love and lust for Vegeta, his mate. It turned Vegeta on almost more than anything physical ever had. He kissed his demon more over his shoulder as they started to move their hips together, finding their rhythm.

Vegeta bent over Talon, kissing him deeply, murmured his name and Piccolo’s. He resumed thrusting deep, slow, and hard, how Talon liked it. Vegeta liked it too. Piccolo emulated it and they moved as a rippling unit of muscle and pleasure. 

Piccolo’s long arm snaked around Vegeta and grabbed Talon’s cock and stroked it in time with their movements. Talon cried out with every thrust and soon Vegeta could no longer stifle his own groans of pleasure. Piccolo growled in his ear, “You’re so fucking hot, Vegeta. And I love watching you fuck him. You’re fucking him so good, look at the way his slit is dripping.”

Bulma was kissing Talon now and he had one hand between her legs, the other was on Vegeta’s hip, Piccolo’s hand on top of it. Vegeta could only breathe, staying his orgasm, until Piccolo cried, “Come for me, my love, come deep inside Talon, make him come for you!”

Talon needed no further instruction as he exploded, bellowing against Bulma’s neck, thrusting his fingers more deeply inside her, so that she cried out too. Vegeta went as soon as Talon’s ass gripped and squeezed him, milking his seed out. Piccolo adjusted his thrust and pounded against Vegeta’s prostate again and again, making Vegeta come again, long and intense as he felt it shoot inside Talon's core. Piccolo finally climaxed deep inside Vegeta and it was so powerful that Vegeta could feel the individual spurts. He pushed back hard onto his demon, groaning, because he needed more pressure on his p-spot to drive out one last shot. As if Vegeta had asked, Piccolo thrust into him a final time and was rewarded with another round of Vegeta’s ass clenching on him.

Vegeta slid carefully, breathlessly, out of Talon, stopping to kiss Bulma and Talon before dropping back onto Piccolo, pushing his demon onto his haunches behind Vegeta. Vegeta’s head lolled back on Piccolo’s shoulder. _Theadur okay? Was that okay? I’m sorry_ , Vegeta said silently, suddenly afraid that he’d gone too far with Talon’s hand.

_Don’t be sorry. It was great._

All four of them decided a nap was in order, so Piccolo created a sun tent with open sides to let the breeze through and they collapsed in their respective couples, though Vegeta and Talon kept their fingers twined together. Talon squeezed Vegeta’s fingers as he started to doze, and Vegeta squeezed back, so full of love it scared him.

* * *

Vegeta awoke starving and filled with remorse and panic. His eyes snapped open and he scented Talon on himself. Smelled that he had fucked Talon. Tears filled his eyes at the thought of what Piccolo would do or say. But the moment of disorientation passed, the rest of the memory filling in around Talon. He glanced around. The others were still asleep.

Silent as a ninja, Vegeta got to his feet and flew well out over the ocean and dove deep, letting the pressure crush him before he floated slowly back up. Strong, slender arms wrapped around him from behind before he made it to the surface. He turned in the gloom to see Talon, his grin barely held in check by the need to hold his breath.

Vegeta gasped as he broke the surface and Talon’s mouth was on his, hungry and insistent. Vegeta wanted to resist, but even if his body hadn’t been fighting to get to Talon, his memories still were. Talon’s fingers slid onto his tail scar and Vegeta remembered how it would wrap around some part of Talon whenever they were together, even at night, even when they were irritated or angry with one another. His tail sneaking into Talon’s pants, caressing between his legs until he begged Vegeta to fuck him. His tail pulling Talon against him whenever they were reunited after one of Vegeta’s missions. Talon’s claws trailing on the skin beneath the silken fur.

Vegeta pressed his face into Talon’s wiry shoulder, groaning as Talon fondled the scar and squeezed up and down Vegeta’s length. Vegeta rasped, “Gods, I keep thinking about all the things my tail used to get up to with you. I miss it. I miss you.” Affection welled in Vegeta, followed closely by terror. He glanced toward the beach.

Bulma swam toward them, but Piccolo still slept on his belly, his arms overlapped above his head.

Talon purred, “I want to get you off before she gets here. Then maybe you’ll let me fuck you while you fuck her.”

Vegeta’s hips bucked against Talon’s hand. His breathing was jagged still, like he’d never recovered from being underwater. He clung to Talon’s shoulder and Talon kissed him, murmured, “Come for me, baby, come so hard,” and Vegeta was powerless against Talon’s words. His abs clenched as his seed exploded into the water and Talon smiled against Vegeta’s cheek as he whispered, “I need to suck you off before the weekend ends.”

More memories: Vegeta’s tail snaking around Talon’s body, marking him, whenever Talon went down on him, even occasionally going so far as to stroke Talon to completion. After they’d been together some time, Talon allowing Vegeta’s tail to venture into his _theadur_ , something he’d been too titillated by and simultaneously ashamed of to ever mention to Piccolo. The memory made him rock hard again. The nerves on his tail had been so electric.

It was Vegeta’s turn to smirk now and when Talon asked why, grinning, Vegeta whispered a few of his more specific recollections in Talon’s ear as Bulma reached them. Vegeta saw a flash of fear and sadness on Bulma’s face, but she hid it away beneath a dazzling smile. When Talon giggled as Vegeta reminisced with him, her smile faltered. Vegeta took Bulma’s hand and pulled her against him and kissed her deeply. He said, “Talon and I were just talking about the shenanigans my tail used to get up to with him.”

Bulma’s eyes widened and she laughed a little as she said, “Oh yeah, I forgot you had a tail!” She seemed relieved by this information, which had been Vegeta’s intention. Unfortunately, the flip side was that Talon looked a little downcast that Vegeta had revealed their secret intimacy.

Bulma beckoned to them and said the cook had made lunch. She started to swim back to shore and Talon made as if to follow. Vegeta grabbed him by his hips under the water, pulled him close, and said against his ear, nipping at his earring, “I never did that with anyone else, Talon. Only you. It only ever loved you.”

Talon kissed Vegeta hard over his shoulder, his hand reaching to turn Vegeta’s mouth to his. He stopped and closed his eyes, breathing hard out his nose as he held their faces together. “Gods, Vegeta, how do I still love you this much?”

Vegeta’s judgment fled and he murmured, “I love you, too, Talon,” and kissed him more. As they made their way toward shore, Vegeta looked up and saw Piccolo staring at him, his face open despair, knee deep in the water. Vegeta’s dread engulfed him again, yet he couldn’t bring himself to take his hand away from Talon’s, even once they emerged from the water.

He kissed Talon’s knuckles and Talon gave him the lopsided smile that Vegeta had first fallen in love with years earlier. Vegeta whispered, “I meant it, but it changes nothing,” and let his hand go.

Talon nodded, pressed his lips together, and choked out, “Yeah. No. Of course. I know.”

Vegeta ran to Piccolo and jumped on his hips. Piccolo’s eyebrows shot up with a dumbfounded half-smile. Vegeta kissed him and growled, “You look unhappy. Don’t be unhappy. This is what you wanted.”

Piccolo looked into his eyes, kissed him deeply, but pulled away quickly. He said, “I know. I’m not unhappy. I woke up a little confused is all. It took me a minute to readjust. You’re having an okay time?”

“Surprisingly, yes, after I got to be with you together with them, it was okay. Now it’s okay.”

“Vegeta…I love you. You know that? I’m sorry about…about everything.”

“I love you, too. Bulma said lunch is on.”

Piccolo nodded and carried Vegeta effortlessly to the main house. Piccolo said, trying to sound unconcerned and failing, “You and Talon have some fun while we slept?”

“I woke up before everyone, went for a swim, he joined me, and gave me a quick handy under the water.”

Piccolo’s shoulders relaxed partway. “What were you two laughing about?”

“My tail. It was a naughty thing before it was so justly removed by your comrades.”

Piccolo’s smile was as fake as Vegeta had ever seen. Fear tingled under his skin as his demon’s shoulders tensed again. Vegeta jumped down from his arms. Talon passed them, slapped Vegeta’s ass and Piccolo’s, but his eyes smoldered when they met Vegeta’s.

Vegeta stopped and grabbed Piccolo’s wrist to stop him. He said, “We can go. Right now. I’m fine if you want to leave, Piccolo.”

Piccolo blinked rapidly, shook his head, and said, “No. I need to be sure. I need to know.”

Vegeta pointed to his mark. “ _This_ should be all you need!”

“I bit you first, you didn’t have a say,” Piccolo said.

Vegeta ground his teeth. “Piccolo—that is bullshit! Fucking _hurtful_ bullshit, I might add! I’m still with you despite…despite everything! How can you doubt my love? Fuck! I knew this was a terrible fucking idea. I never should’ve listened to you. I can’t enjoy myself if you’re miserable, and definitely not if you’re jealous.”

“I can be jealous without it being problematic,” Piccolo said.

Vegeta stepped closer to him, looked into his eyes. He hissed, “Can you? Are you sure?”

“Yes! I’ve changed! I have. I saw you with him. I _heard_ you, what you said to him, okay? I heard you and I’m okay. I’m not great, you’re right, but I’m okay.”

Vegeta kept his face neutral. “Heard what?” He willed himself not to swallow, not to hold his breath.

“You said you love him,” Piccolo said, his eyes glazing, “that it changed nothing, but that you love him.” Piccolo covered his face with his hand, big, deep breaths making his broad shoulders shudder.

“Piccolo, I…”

“It doesn’t matter. This needed to happen and it must be good: look,” Piccolo said and gestured to Vegeta’s mark. It was completely healed. Completely pain-free.

Vegeta touched Piccolo’s which was also healed, perfect, beautiful. Vegeta hoisted Piccolo up and sucked on it, kissed it, nipped it. Piccolo gasped for breath and threaded his fingers through Vegeta’s hair as he pleaded, “Fuck me, please, Vegeta, for real, in my _theadur_.”

“Here? Or our room?”

“Anywhere. Everywhere.”

Vegeta slid Piccolo down his body with one arm, held his dick with the other, and thrust himself deep into Piccolo’s velvet heat. Vegeta moaned, “Gods, my demon, I love him, but not like you. No one is like you. But let me. Let me. Let me end things as I should have with him. Please, Piccolo? He was the only good thing in my life, ever, until I died. Until I met you.”

Piccolo said nothing until he commanded Vegeta, who glowed brightly, to come inside his clenching, spasming sheath. Piccolo smothered him in kisses afterwards and said, almost cried, “Okay. Okay. I can do that. Can I…can I fuck his _theadur_? If I pull out?”

“Ask him, Piccolo!”

“He said it’s okay.”

“I thought I did well earlier, considering my reticence,” Vegeta said.

“You did. I don’t want him to fuck mine, though. My mark started oozing when we even talked about it,” Piccolo said. 

“Picky things, aren’t they?”

“Maybe it knows what the would do to you.”

“It’s fine if you want that, my demon, I’ll be okay,” Vegeta said, willing it to be true.

“We’ll see. I’ve had enough of making you bleed.”

“Good to hear.”

“Don’t be mean,” Piccolo said, looking wounded.

“I meant it. I wasn’t being sarcastic. I’ve been scared I’ll set you off somehow,” Vegeta said, caressing Piccolo’s jaw.

“I think I just made it through my worst fear. The thing I was most afraid would break me,” Piccolo said.

“That…that I love him?” Vegeta asked.

“No, I knew you still loved him. I could feel it when you talk about him. No. Seeing you together, laughing, so loving, so happy. He…he never would’ve done the things I’ve done to you.”

“I never would have let him, because I don’t love him like I love you,” Vegeta said, lacing his fingers with Piccolo’s.

Piccolo’s face fell and tears streamed out of his eyes. “Fuck, Vegeta, that makes me feel terrible that you _let_ me do those things.”

“You did get the drop on me that first time—but after it became apparent that you…you wanted it, meant to…I just…accepted it. As part of the package. As a cost of having you. That to have you, I had to endure that.”

Piccolo said, “You go on inside. I’m not hungry.”

“Piccolo, godsdamnit, you told me to try to have fun. I can’t have fun with you fucking moping. You want to show me you have actual remorse?” Vegeta was almost shouting. Piccolo nodded and Vegeta continued, trying to control himself, “then stop making _me_ feel like shit for things _you_ did. I want to fuck like crazy until our eggs hatch, then go home, and start our life together with no more bullshit. Can you give me that? Can you fuck like crazy all weekend and then go home and be at peace with the fact that I loved someone before you? That I love you more? More than him, more than anything. _You_ chose this and I committed. I’m doing it, and earlier you were too. So get your dick out and let it go crazy. Let all your fucking expectations go and have a good time. Okay?”

His demon’s eyes were wide and Vegeta caught his breath after his tirade. He’d unintentionally gone super-Saiyan. Piccolo held both his hands up in surrender. And he was hard. Dripping pre-cum. 

“Do you like it when I boss you around, my demon?” Vegeta teased, lowering his power.

Piccolo nodded slowly and said, “Yeah. I guess I do. Especially when you’re ordering me to have more sex and watch you have sex.” Piccolo took a small step toward him. “I can do that, Vegeta. Sorry. I just lost my shit a little. I’m okay again.”

“Good. Because I’m fucking starving.”


	10. Knowledge and Truth

Vegeta decided that the worst part of the foursome was transition. After lunch, which had been unexpectedly fun with almost no awkwardness, the three plotters fell suddenly silent. It was like they insisted on pretending they weren’t there solely to fuck as much as possible, in as many configurations as possible before Bunny called them home. So as they sat in a moment of uncomfortable silence after they finished eating, Vegeta grumbled, “What? Haven’t you three made a schedule of exactly who puts what where at what time? Should I just try to seduce one of you if I want to get laid?”

It broke the tension and Piccolo said, “Maybe we _should_ ro-sham-bo for you?”

Bulma chimed in, “Or we could play poker, but bet sex acts.”

Vegeta snorted and said, “Then maybe a game of checkers for kisses. Both of you have terrible ideas, so I’m going to go take Talon up on blow job that was proffered earlier, though I’d be happy to make it more interesting.”

Piccolo threw Vegeta over his shoulder and said, “Let’s shove two beds together and rinse off. I’m sick of sand getting everywhere. Then if Talon’s amenable, I would like to try fucking a Namek while he sucks off my husband, while I maybe get pegged by an Earthling.”

Talon’s face lit up and he threw Bulma over his shoulder, following Piccolo. Piccolo picked up an extra bed on the way and though Vegeta knew Talon could do such a thing too, the smaller Namek still seemed unduly impressed by the display of strength.

Piccolo rumbled, “You got a strap-on, Bulma?”

“What kind of question is that?!” she shrieked and when all three men turned in surprise, she giggled, “Ha! Gotcha. Of course I have a strap-on. I have a fucking collection of strap-ons. My two most recent boyfriends have been gay.”

“I’m not gay,” Vegeta said, peevishly, provoking laughter all around.

Bulma frolicked off and returned with an actual bag of dicks, causing another round of guffaws. “Here, Piccolo, choose your peg.”

Piccolo tossed Vegeta on their now oversized bed and scooped Talon up, kissing him. “How shall I fuck you, little Namek?”

Worry nibbled at Vegeta as Talon looked disappointed, like maybe he hoped Vegeta would intervene. But as Piccolo kissed over his lithe body, Talon’s lopsided smile returned and he said, “I’ve never had someone like you in my ass before—you’ll have to warm me up, go easy.”

Vegeta whispered mentally, _Don’t hurt him, Piccolo. Don’t you dare. Are you okay with this?_

Piccolo growled aloud, “So I can rim you while you go down on my mate? Maybe finger his ass a little?”

Talon’s hard-on responded and he said, “I’ll never say no to a rimjob, since it’s not our prince’s favorite thing.”

Vegeta grumbled, “Hey! I’ve eaten plenty of ass! I just think my mouth is better at sucking dick!”

“And eating pussy!” Bulma said, laying out her strap-ons for Piccolo’s perusal.

Talon crawled over Vegeta and said, “I’m not complaining, you do give excellent head,” he kissed Vegeta and his mouth trailed down over Vegeta’s jaw, “Fuck, Vegeta, I would never have believed I could love your body more, but you found a way to make yourself hotter.”

Vegeta’s eyes snapped open and he watched Piccolo’s face. Piccolo answered him at last, _I won’t hurt him. I don’t think he’d like it rough. I bet Bulma does, though, so maybe I can go a little crazy with her later._

_She does, but she’s human, you’ll have to be careful_.

_Can I…can I kiss you a bit, while he’s blowing you?_

_You never have to ask to kiss me, Piccolo. Never._

Talon’s mouth was still exploring Vegeta’s torso. Piccolo splayed one large hand on Talon’s taut little ass cheek and fell to kissing Vegeta. Talon, perhaps out of competitiveness, or maybe just timing, sucked on Vegeta’s tip right as Piccolo’s mouth covered Vegeta’s. Vegeta gasped against his demon.

Vegeta slid his hand up and down Bulma’s thigh, delved into her silky blue curls, and slipped his fingers onto her clit. Piccolo sucked hard on his neck and Vegeta rasped, “Woman, you can’t put that in your pussy without a proper warm up.”

She spread her legs a little and said, “You might be too distracted to give it the treatment it deserves. I can do it myself and you boys can watch if you want.”

“But I want to finger you…” he groaned.

“Finger me, but leave my clit to me. Piccolo, you better get going on Talon so you’re ready when I’m ready.”

Piccolo nipped Vegeta’s lip and said, “So hard to choose with so many delicious options.” He moved behind Talon, spread him, and bowed his head so Vegeta could no longer see, but Vegeta could feel Talon’s groans and hums of pleasure. Vegeta knew that Piccolo gave excellent rimjobs, so he was at least temporarily at ease.

When Piccolo rose back up to finger Talon, Talon’s hips thrust back toward Piccolo and he let Vegeta’s dick out of his mouth to rear back and kiss Piccolo over his shoulder, murmuring, “I think I’m as ready as I’ll ever be from fingers for your behemoth. Easy does it, and like a whole bottle of lube. We still have a lot of weekend left.”

A chill went down Vegeta’s spine as Piccolo said, “I’ll treat it just like my mate’s.” Vegeta sat up, met Piccolo’s eyes, and saw they were soft, loving, not angry or jealous. But it was too late, Piccolo looked wounded by Vegeta’s response. He covered for Vegeta anyway and said, “Looks like our prince wants to watch a bit.”

“Yes,” Vegeta breathed, grateful that Piccolo had thought quickly, because Talon’s face was all worry when Vegeta sprang up.

Talon said, “I can go down on you sideways so you can get off while he fucks me, Vegeta.”

“Perfect. Then I can jerk you off too,” Vegeta said, but his eyes were on Piccolo. _I’m sorry. I’ve been scared Kami will surface._

_I know. I know. It’s okay. I won’t hurt him. Try to enjoy yourself._ Piccolo began inching into Talon.

Talon gasped and Vegeta thought he looked nervous. Vegeta took Talon’s cock in his hand and stroked him as Piccolo worked into him. Talon said, “Gods, Vegeta, you’re no amateur if you take this. More lube, Piccolo, think of the surface area on that monster.”

Piccolo looked surprised by Talon’s candid criticism and Vegeta could see Piccolo’s mind going back through his sexual history, wondering if he’d hurt other lovers who kept quiet. Vegeta caressed Piccolo’s hand on Talon’s ass and said silently, _More lube, my demon, you can’t ignore him_.

Piccolo shook his head as if to dispel a daydream, and added more lube, kept the bottle in hand. Talon breathed hard where he leaned on Vegeta’s belly and rasped, “Holy shit, there’s a lot of you. Seriously, Vegeta, how was this your first dick? You must’ve had to work up to this for months.”

Vegeta smirked at Piccolo, but Piccolo looked shattered, his face pale, at Talon’s commentary. Vegeta said to Talon, “You took me just fine your first time.”

“Yeah, and you’re big, but ah!” Talon cried out and gripped Vegeta’s thigh, “More lube, Piccolo, I was not kidding about the whole bottle!” He turned back to Vegeta and continued, “But your demon is gigantic. Easy, Piccolo, gods, this is a marathon, not a sprint. Plus, I’d had a ton of toys, fingers, and masturbating before I fucked you, Vegeta. You were my first dick, but my ass was seasoned.”

Piccolo’s face had crumpled into full-scale panic and he said, very quietly, “Should I pull out?”

“No, it’ll feel great once we get it going, but you can’t rush it. I need to adjust.” Talon’s face looked like he had just figured out a puzzle that he’d been working on a long time. His eyes narrowed when they met Vegeta’s and then they looked so sad that Vegeta had to turn away. Talon’s brows crashed together before he could, and it was as if Vegeta’s face had confirmed the truth Talon feared. Talon’s hand flew to his mouth.

Talon breathed through Piccolo beginning to thrust, but when Piccolo set the bottle of lube down, Talon handed it back to him and said, “Keep at it, big guy, surface area. You have more of me inside to lube since I’m so stretched. You feel great, don’t look so morose, but fucking a dick like yours can turn on a zeni, so keep pouring it on until I’m slippery as a wet pussy.”

Vegeta couldn’t help but be amused at Talon’s authoritative bottoming. Vegeta wished he were like that, then Piccolo might never have hurt him. Piccolo’s face was wide-eyed and shocked, pleasure causing his startled eyes to lower their lids as Talon purred, “There you go. See? It must feel better for you too, with all that lube you can move easier, give me a proper fucking instead of a dry ripping. That’s no fun for anyone.”

Piccolo swallowed hard and nodded. Vegeta had to turn his attention away from his Nameks to avoid adding to Piccolo’s apparent misery. He focused on fingering Bulma. He growled, “You can sit on my face a little if you want, woman.”

She pouted. “You used to like watching me rub one out.”

“Just seems a waste to not get to touch you when our time is so short.”

Bulma’s eyes slid to Piccolo, then back to Vegeta, and he wondered what that look had meant.

Talon was still softly directing Piccolo and Piccolo looked on the brink of falling apart. Vegeta groaned more enthusiastically than he felt and thrust his cock up toward Talon, trying to refocus his attention anywhere but Piccolo. It worked. Talon started sucking Vegeta and then he pulled off and hummed, “Piccolo, you are making this possibly the most fun head I’ll ever give in my life.”

Piccolo perked up a little, but Vegeta could see he was concentrating hard on how he was fucking Talon. Talon’s hot tongue moved up and down Vegeta, delved into his slit, languidly circled his tip. Talon reached for the lube and before putting Vegeta fully in his mouth again, he said, “Piccolo mentioned that I might finger you a little. Would you like that?”

Vegeta nodded, but turned to Bulma and whispered, “There’s so much to watch, woman, you better get to it if you want an audience.”

Piccolo said, “I’m watching too. I’ve never seen a woman masturbate.”

“So many firsts, Piccolo, I feel a little like I’m sullying you,” she said, giggling, and laid back. She spread her legs so they could see as she rubbed her first two fingers in small circles on her clit, using the pussy end of her strap-on to swirl around her opening. “You boys want me to come with or without penetration?”

Talon pulled off Vegeta. “Don’t tease, _atheanna_ , keep that thing out so I can see your sweet stuff.”

Vegeta almost choked to hear Talon use the Namek endearment directed at Bulma instead of himself. Piccolo’s Namek was patchy at best, as it was inherited from Nail, and only came through piecemeal, so he’d never used it with Vegeta. He clearly had no idea what it meant. It literally meant, “of my _theadur_ ,” connoting the sacredness of that type of intimacy in Namek culture. Piccolo thankfully didn’t notice Vegeta’s horrified face as he rocked into the slow, intense pleasure of fucking Talon properly. His eyes, barely open, were on Bulma’s hand. It was practically vibrating as she added speed and pressure to her tight movements before arching up, screaming, and then Vegeta came in Talon’s mouth, watching Bulma’s pink, wet folds clench and open, clench and open, as if her pussy was hungry. 

And from the zeal with which she shoved in her strap-on and moved behind Piccolo, maybe she was hungry. The dildo was about Talon’s size, the smallest of the three of them, but by no means small in absolute terms. She slathered lube on the bright purple thing, then slipped her slick fingers in Piccolo. Seeing that made Vegeta instantly hard again and Talon, gasping against his hip, on top of his mark, grinned and said, “Mmm… _atheanna_ , Vegeta likes whatever you’re doing.”

She purred back, “I like what I’m doing too, but does Piccolo?”

Piccolo nodded, but his eyes were closed with ecstasy and his mouth hung open as he rolled into Talon. He said breathily, “Bulma, fucking peg me, I want to come so hard in Talon.”

Talon groaned and pushed a finger into Vegeta, who hadn’t been ready at all. He grimaced. He was okay, but Piccolo saw and his eyes flashed. Vegeta quickly said, _I’m fine. I got distracted by what Bulma’s doing to you_.

Talon pushed deeper, added a second almost immediately, but Vegeta tolerated it because Talon had found his prostate. That, at least, Talon seemed very adept at working. He murmured against Vegeta, “Just the ass okay?”

Vegeta was still stroking Talon as Piccolo thrust into him, so he said, “You or me?”

Talon’s smile made Vegeta’s insides stir as he came up to kiss Vegeta. “You. Keep stroking my dick, baby, you feel so good. I can’t believe I never played in your ass. Gods, Vegeta, you’re so tight.”

Bulma pegged Piccolo, making him pause his thrusts into Talon. He threw his head back as he gasped, “Fuck, Bulma, I need it deep, as rough as you can without changing how I fuck Talon.”

“You can do me a little rougher, Piccolo, if that’s your thing,” Talon said. Vegeta was afraid for Talon, but didn’t want to say anything more to Piccolo, who finally seemed to be having a good time.

Bulma drove into Piccolo and it echoed through into Talon, making Talon cry out with every thrust. He got rougher and rougher fingering Vegeta until Vegeta said, “Enough. Easy, Talon, easy,” as quietly as he could.

Unfortunately, Talon seemed to have meant to elicit this response and his face briefly darkened. Vegeta did not like what Talon had pieced together and anxious dread obliterated his pleasure.

Talon wailed and came in Vegeta’s hand and now it caused a chain reaction backwards. Piccolo followed suit, clearly restraining his typically vicious final thrusts, while Bulma did the opposite, so she and Piccolo groaned long and low together. She was still twitching when Piccolo pushed her gently out of him.

Vegeta unceremoniously pulled Talon’s hand out of his ass, relieved that it was over. Vegeta, aside from any potential conversation with Talon, was not eager to have his former lover fuck him. Talon was good at describing and directing a top, but his finesse and attention to detail were lacking, things that Vegeta required even more since his incident with Piccolo.

Talon’s face told Vegeta that his lack of completion had not gone unnoticed, but he stared Talon down when he started to say something. It was comforting to know he could still scare people with a glance. He kissed each of them and said, “I’m going to go train for a bit.”

Piccolo and Talon gaped. Bulma said, “No fucking way. We’re here for like forty-eight hours. You can skip. It won’t hurt you to miss a couple days, Vegeta.”

“I just need a little…downtime.”

Bulma stood and got in his face. “ _You_ have never needed downtime, Vegeta. What’s going on?”

“Bulma, there’s three of you. I need downtime. I’m sure the three of you can figure out something to do without me.”

“That isn’t my point and you know it!”

“But it is mine, woman!” he growled and left the room.

Piccolo, of course it would be Piccolo, even though it was Talon Vegeta most wanted to separate from the herd, followed. “Vegeta?”

“Leave me alone for a few fucking minutes, okay? That was...exhausting.”

Piccolo looked angry, but said, “Why?”

“Honestly, Piccolo?” Vegeta said, his voice so tired and exasperated it was almost a whine.

“That was a pretty eye-opening experience, but for me, not you. He never said anything to you!”

“Did you miss all the commentary on how we should have approached me taking your mammoth dick? It was humiliating. I’m obviously a complete shit bottom, but worse, he _knows_ , Piccolo. I saw him put it together while you fucked him. He doesn’t know the details, but he knows that I just…I just…take it like your prison bitch.”

“Fuck, Vegeta, don’t say that,” Piccolo pleaded, looking like Vegeta had slapped him. “He…he can’t know.”

“The way you were going to railroad him even though you thought you were going easy? Yeah. He knows. The way he looked at me. Fuck. I'm so ashamed. I almost went soft it was so humiliating. It says nothing about you and everything about me. How fucking pathetic I am. Gods. What a disaster. Now will you please leave me alone for a few fucking minutes so I can get myself together.”

“Vegeta…I…I didn’t know. I guess I’ve mostly been with guys who are more like me, that like it rough. And you’re my only top, well, aside from Goku, and you’re so good that I just thought…I just thought it couldn’t hurt unless you meant for it to hurt or you really fucked up, like Goku did.”

“Enough! Piccolo, I wasn’t just saying I wanted to be alone to say it. I want to be alone, fucking leave me alone! I’ll be fine in half-hour or so. I’m going for a run.”

“Why don’t you just see if he wants to talk?” Piccolo asked.

Vegeta burst into tears and hid his face. “Gods, Piccolo, no! Do you not get how humiliated I am? Fuck the physical pain you caused me—in case you haven’t noticed in the numerous battles we’ve been in together, I can handle pain—but the humiliation of it all. Being so fucking pathetic. Letting you do that to me. Fuck. Leave me alone. I feel disgusting. I can’t believe I just…just…just let you. That I said nothing. That I didn't defend myself. Fuck. Just leave me fucking alone!”

“Shit!” Piccolo screamed and dropped to his knees, tearing Vegeta’s shorts off.

“Stop it! What the fuck!?”

Piccolo’s mouth was on his mark and Vegeta saw the blood pouring down his leg. Piccolo gasped, “No one will know. I promise.” The bleeding stopped, but it hurt and looked awful, the beginnings of black tendrils feathering out from it. Piccolo continued, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry.” Piccolo stared up at Vegeta.

“I know,” Vegeta bent and kissed Piccolo’s blood-smeared mouth. 

Piccolo carried him into the sea and kissed him tenderly. “Sorry I’m such a shitty lay.”

“Piccolo, need I remind you that I went super-Saiyan the second time you fucked me? I like how you fuck me, okay?”

Talon and Bulma had emerged, and Vegeta was dismayed to see their heads bowed together as they discussed something, probably Vegeta. But they came out to join him and Piccolo anyway. Bulma said, “Vegeta, come on inside. I want a turn fucking you. I haven’t gotten to fuck you yet.”

Vegeta said nothing and followed, straining to hear Talon behind him, but the wind carried his voice away. Vegeta glanced back and saw Talon was definitely engaging Piccolo in a very serious conversation. Piccolo listened and nodded, his arms tightly crossed on his chest. He looked abashed and morose as he spoke, his frown deepening with every word.

Vegeta said to Bulma, “What is he doing?”

“I don’t know, they’ll probably fuck each other in some manner.”

“Bulma.”

“What?”

“Don’t be fucking coy with me.”

“I don’t know, Vegeta, Talon and Piccolo were death-staring each other after you left and the blood stain on the sand—this—“ she gestured to Vegeta’s bleeding, angry mark, “made Talon…angry.”

“Fuck. The whole point of this weekend was to mend this fuckery.”

Bulma looked heartbroken. “Not…not for us? Not for fun?”

“Well, of course I want to fuck you both, Bulma. I’ve never stopped wanting that!”

She blushed and her smile was subtle. “What happened, Vegeta? He really fucked you up.”

“Only people we truly love can truly hurt us.”

“I agree…emotionally…but I don’t think that’s how he hurt you…”

“Leave it alone, Bulma, if you want to get laid.”

She looked into his eyes and said, “You know you can always talk to me. While we fuck, even, if you prefer.”

Vegeta chuckled and threw her over his shoulder, gently bit her ass, and said, “You’ve always been good to me, woman. I hope you and Talon are very happy together.”

Slapping his ass as he walked, she said, “He’d be happier with you. I’m a loving person. I fall in love easily. I’ll be happy with him. I’d probably fall in love with Piccolo, given time. But none of you would be happy with me. Talon might be closest, but only as a runner up.”

Vegeta set her back down. “Piccolo isn’t my first love, but he’s my only. Talon is more like you…he’s loving and kind and intelligent. He’s less…murderous…than me. Than Piccolo. I think with time, if you want it, you’ll find that you’re the real great love of his life. I’m just a loose end he needs to tie off.”

“No, Vegeta, I don’t think so. He loves you so much. You’ll be like a silent third party in our relationship forever.”

“Give him more than a few months, Bulma.”

Vegeta felt Piccolo’s chi soar and turned in terror for Talon’s life. Piccolo was clearly, visibly angry, enraged even, but Talon wasn’t afraid. His hands were running up and down Piccolo’s large, muscular arms. Piccolo’s eyes met Vegeta’s. They were red and glazed. They darted away from Vegeta’s so sharply that he felt certain he knew what was being discussed. He stormed back toward them, his chi exploding as he transformed, and still his chi rose.

Piccolo saw the impending doom marching toward them and shouted, “Talon! Take Bulma and fly away! Now! Go!”

Vegeta roared, “What are you saying to him, Piccolo? You fucking promised!” Vegeta had never hurt Piccolo, not even during all their training, but he felt no compunction about it now. Piccolo had shamed him in front of Talon, the only other person in the entire universe that Vegeta loved, the only person whose opinion he valued. Talon fled as Vegeta began forming two enormous chi blasts in his hands, staring at his treacherous mate through the tears that filled his eyes.

Talon slammed into Vegeta’s side, taking him by surprise, knocking him over into the water. Vegeta could’ve thrown him like a wet towel, but he didn’t want to hurt Talon. He wanted to hurt Piccolo. Badly. The shame he felt was overpowering, like a poison in his blood, and given the flowing black tendrils seething out of his mark, his metaphor was perhaps more literal than figurative.

Talon grabbed Vegeta’s face and looked into his eyes as Vegeta tried to shove him off without hurting his petite Namek. Talon kissed Vegeta desperately and pleaded, “Please, Vegeta, don’t do this, please, please, please, calm down! Or you’ll die. I can’t bear your death again. Please, take a breath. I love you, don’t make me lose you again.”

Piccolo approached warily, coiled tightly, ready to spring away. Talon held Vegeta’s hands, but Vegeta could easily kick Piccolo from where he stood without even changing Talon’s grip. “Vegeta…we were just talking technique, okay?” Piccolo said, reaching out slowly to touch Vegeta.

“Bullshit! Your face is guilty as fuck! How could you do this to me on top of everything else? How could you fucking tell him?!” Vegeta howled, tearing at his hair. “You fucking promised not to tell him!”

Piccolo shook his head vehemently, his eyes scrunched together piteously, and Vegeta realized too late that he had been wrong. He wanted to take back all his words. Stuff them all back down his throat. The tendrils briefly retracted when he realized that Piccolo had kept his word, but they exploded with blinding pain upon realizing that he had just outed himself to Talon. Talon would press him now. Vegeta fought when the darkness came for him. “Fuck! No! No! I’m not ready!” he cried, but he lost his grip on the light and tumbled back into the abyss.

* * *

“You fucking saw what the mere idea of me telling either of you did to him, right?” Piccolo’s voice said, “I’m not saying a fucking word. Just leave it alone. Leave him alone. Fuck. You say you care about him, then let it lie. That’s what he wants. Fuck the shit out of him and let him get on with his life.”

“Piccolo, I can’t help but feel you’re covering your own ass here,” Bulma’s voice said in the darkness, “What were you two talking about anyway if you weren’t revealing Vegeta’s big secret?”

“Talon was advising me on better practices with my huge fucking dick,” Piccolo’s voice drifted down again into the dark, “But he doesn’t have a leg to stand on. He hurt Vegeta with just fingers!” Vegeta found the irony of Piccolo acting as if Piccolo hadn’t done the same in the past hilarious in his deathlike state.

“But I’m not a top! I’ve never fingered someone’s ass before! Except my own, and the only other thing I’ve ever fingered besides Bulma’s pussy is my own _theadur_ and it’s impossible to hurt that,” Talon’s voice said, scoffing.

“Lay an egg and you’ll find out you’re wrong!”

“I’d love to, but I think that possibility is now gone!”

Vegeta croaked, “I’ll fuck anything to make the three of you shut the fuck up. Can’t a man convalesce in peace?” He sat up, cringing. “Could you two step out so I might have a private word with my mate?”

They both came over to fuss and he growled, “Now! I’ll be fine! Go!”

Talon’s eyes were pained, Bulma’s defiant, but they left.

Piccolo kept his distance until they were gone. He stepped warily closer to the bed in their private cabin where he had obviously brought Vegeta. He started to speak, but Vegeta yanked him down onto the bed beside him. He knocked Piccolo onto his back and spread his legs. He dove to lick Piccolo’s _theadur_ and Piccolo stammered, “Whoa! Vegeta—what the—“

“Can I fuck you or not?”

“Yeah, but don’t you want to—“

“Shut up! We can talk after!” Vegeta barked.

Piccolo’s eyes widened and his cock stiffened. Vegeta bent back to probe Piccolo’s _theadur_ with his tongue until Piccolo was gasping his name. He moved above Piccolo and drove into his demon hard, collapsing on top of him, kissing him furiously, and whispered, “I’m so sorry. Forgive me. I’m so sorry I doubted you. Please, Piccolo, forgive me. You feel so good. Please. I need you. Please—“

“Vegeta, your turn to shut up. I don’t care. Nothing to forgive,” Piccolo breathed, “Fuck me hard. Just fuck me.”

Vegeta obeyed and soon they were sweaty and screaming, writhing together and glowing with aftershocks. Vegeta burst into tears and wept in Piccolo’s arms. Piccolo held him, burying his face in Vegeta's hair.

After a while, Piccolo said firmly, “Vegeta, stop. Take a deep breath. This is a lot. This weekend is a lot. You’re pretty high strung right now. Let it go. I did my best to put them off, but you’re right, Talon has the scent of it and he’s like a fucking bloodhound, though he was surprisingly not-dick about the other things he’s parsed out. He’s mainly concerned that I’m not a good top—which I honestly did not know and am struggling to deal with. Look, Vegeta, I know I fucked shit up with you, but I’m…I’m having a hard time about my own shit right now.”

Vegeta sat up and said, “Fuck him. I love when you fuck me.” He took Piccolo’s dick in his hand.

Piccolo arched toward him and said, “Vegeta…”

“If you don’t want it, say so…”

“It’s not that. I feel like you’re using sex to avoid having a real conversation—“

Vegeta laughed. “That’s not why I flew to this fucking island. Can I put your dick in my ass or not?”

“Gods, you’re demanding right now,” Piccolo said, grinning, “I love it. So yes, yes, yes.”

Vegeta lubed Piccolo and showed Piccolo what the term power-bottom meant, slamming down on him roughly and ruthlessly until his cum hit Piccolo in the face as Vegeta got off, growling, “Come inside me, Piccolo, right now!”

Piccolo groaned and shivered after Vegeta was done with him. He breathed, “Can we—“ Vegeta kissed him. He kissed back and continued, “talk yet? Or do you need more?”

Vegeta grinned, still mounted on Piccolo and said, between gulping breaths, starting to rock again, “What do you want to talk about? Your husband’s mental health issues? His inability to be normal in social situations? His ever-present wound? What would you like to talk about, my demon?” Vegeta felt vicious, aggressive, and he wanted to go back to his deathlike sleep.

“None of those are real, Vegeta. Are you okay? That’s what I want to talk about. You really lost your shit out there. The creepy black things swarmed under your skin. It was terrifying.”

“I’m fine. Did you suck on it? How is it better? I don’t feel significantly saner than I did when it went off.”

Piccolo held the bridge of his nose with one hand, Vegeta’s hip with the other as Vegeta rode him more aggressively. Piccolo wasn’t hard and Vegeta wanted to cry. “Vegeta, you’re going to hate it.”

Vegeta had hurt himself in his earlier zeal to distract Piccolo, but he wanted Piccolo to fuck him again anyway. He was angry that Piccolo clearly didn’t want to fuck him back. Vegeta growled, “What? Have out with it. I’m sick of everyone acting like I'm an explosive device with no off switch.”

“Your response to Talon talking to me did not help that perception.”

“Piccolo, my patience is thin.”

“He helped.”

“What do you—“ Vegeta stopped and teared up. “No! No, Piccolo—“ Vegeta felt nauseous. Terrified. He whispered, “With his mouth? Gods. Poor you. Poor fucking Bulma.”

Piccolo sighed and said sadly, “Yeah, she was…shocked. I was…less shocked.”

Vegeta bent and kissed Piccolo, but Piccolo turned away. Vegeta cupped his jaw and turned him back. “Did you?”

“Did I what?”

“Did you do part of it?”

Piccolo shut his eyes.

“Piccolo…”

“Vegeta…I’m sorry. I lost my shit. I can’t survive another coma. I can’t survive you dying. I was mad that you thought I’d do that. That you came after me like that. To hurt me,” tears spilled out of Piccolo’s eyes as he continued, “Then I realized…you…you…you _let_ me hurt you. Just so you _didn’t_ hurt me.” Piccolo sobbed as Vegeta clutched him in a tight hug. “I’ve fucked us up so much. I don’t want it to be so _hard_ and the…the ease I saw you had with Talon…It broke me, Vegeta…Then…then…” Piccolo heaved and wept and clung to Vegeta. “I sucked on it, Vegeta, and it did nothing. Nothing! Like it didn’t care. Like…like it’s not mine to care for…” Piccolo was almost retching he sobbed so hard.

Vegeta kept Piccolo clamped tightly against him. He could feel Bulma and Talon lurking. He smothered Piccolo in kisses. “I don’t care, Piccolo. I don’t care what it wants or what it does. I want you. My demon. You’re mine. I love you. So let’s enjoy our weekend. You passed the only test I care about, even at great cost to yourself.”

“What?” Piccolo said blearily through his tears.

“You didn’t tell them. I heard them pestering you, and you didn’t tell them.”

“I hate it, Vegeta. I feel so filthy. It’s its own punishment to bear the burden of what I did.”

Vegeta finally dismounted, raw both physically and emotionally, shaky from his inability to make Piccolo hard for him. “Now you see why I wish you’d let me keep it from you. No good has come from you knowing.”

“I feel even shittier because I took it from you!”

“Piccolo…Let’s go. We can’t keep our fans waiting. Get yourself together. I want my weekend.”

Piccolo wiped his eyes, took a long breath, and said, “Okay. Okay. I can stop. I can be okay.”

Vegeta roughly grabbed his jaw and kissed him as he stood. He stared into Piccolo’s eyes and said, “You’re _mine_. Don’t you fucking forget it.”

Piccolo’s eyes were wide, but his lids fell heavily and he growled, “I am. I’m yours. You’re _mine_ , too, Vegeta. Gods, I love you.”

“Now let’s go fuck like there’s no tomorrow.”

Piccolo stopped him as he made to leave. “Vegeta…I think you should do it. I think you should fuck his _theadur_. And…I don’t even want to watch. I want you to take him off alone and…and…I just…I get it now. I get…what you need…why you need it. What he needs. Okay?”

“I’ll decide, Piccolo. I’m done being pushed around. Now come on, I mean it, my blood’s up, my demon, so unless you want me to fuck you raw, let’s go.”

“Vegeta—are you—“

Vegeta kissed Piccolo roughly, yanking him down to Vegeta’s height. He pointed to his angry mark and said, “Piccolo, I can’t think anymore. I want to get drunk on cum. You made me do this weekend, don't cock-block me now.”

Piccolo finally gave up and slammed him against the wall, kissing him and gripping his cock. “Stop cutting me off, Vegeta, you’re fucking manic. I need you to slow your roll just a little, okay? I need to know you’re actually okay and not just in the high before the fall.”

“Piccolo, you heard your worst fear, right?”

Piccolo nodded.

Vegeta snorted. “It was my worst fear, too. But it’s true. And here we are. You’re still my mate, my husband, the father of my children. I don’t…I don’t know what to do with my love for him except love him now, right now, while still feeling just…just…just _wrecked_ by loving you, what I’d do for you,” Vegeta seized Piccolo again and kissed him until they were breathless, “And I would do it again. I wouldn’t change a thing if it meant I couldn’t be with you.”

Piccolo kissed Vegeta back, more tears breaking free. “I’ll never do it again, Vegeta, I mean it.”

“I know. So stop worrying about anything. If I’d take it and you won’t do it, nothing can tear us apart, right?” Vegeta slung his arms around Piccolo’s neck and rolled his hips against his demon.

“Right,” Piccolo answered, kissing him, and they stumbled out of the cottage into Talon and Bulma, both sets of eyes wide and slightly ashamed.

Vegeta wasn’t drunk, but he felt drunk as he gripped Talon’s hips and said, “Bulma, I just fucked Piccolo, but he has had so little of your expert head and pussy that I wonder if you might do him properly while I fuck your boyfriend.”

Bulma giggled and looked at Talon before she said, “I think you mean fiancé, Vegeta.”

“Congratulations, then, do you still want me to impregnate him?”

Bulma and Talon’s eyes went wide and Talon looked to Bulma who nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah, okay, go have fun! I’ll try to pleasure your disgruntled husband.”

“I’m not disgruntled, godsdamnit, I’m concerned, Bulma!”

“Piccolo, I do not care about the minutiae of your feelings, are you willing to fuck me as a sacrifice to your husband?” she said, laughing.

“It’s not a sacrifice—“

“Then shut up and let’s go to my room.”

Piccolo huffed and said, holding up both hands like he wanted everyone to shut up, “Can I…Can I say goodbye?”

Talon made a face and said, “Gods, Piccolo, don’t be so melodramatic, you’ll—“

“Shut up, Talon! I want to kiss my mate goodbye!”

Vegeta smirked and Piccolo swept him up in a desperate kiss. Vegeta was panting by the time Piccolo released him and growled, “Come on, Bulma, you’ve given me a bit of a taste for pussy.”

Vegeta turned back to Talon and pulled their hips together as he murmured, “Gods, Talon, I want to fuck you so badly.”

Talon kissed him, holding his jaw as they stumbled back into the cottage, and he whispered, “Vegeta, I don’t think…I don’t think I can do this with you the way you are.”

“What?” Vegeta pulled away and searched Talon’s eyes.

“What the fuck is this toxic thing you’re hiding? I can’t do it. I won’t pretend it’s okay.”

“You don’t have to pretend. It is okay.”

“Vegeta—“

“Talon, leave it. It’s humiliating and I just…I want to be with you. I want to love you like I do, without bullshit. Is that too much to ask?”

“Yes! Vegeta, love is honesty. I’m worried about you.”

“Don’t be. I’m fine.”

“The _death_ I just sucked out of your mark argues otherwise. Death, Vegeta. That’s what I tasted,” Talon said, his eyes glassy and searching.

“You shouldn’t have had to do that,” Vegeta said.

“No! I shouldn’t have! Death shouldn’t come from your pair-bond, Vegeta! Only love.”

“Please, Talon, please don’t do this to me,” Vegeta pleaded, his heart aching with the thought that he wouldn’t have this last chance to love Talon.

“No, Vegeta, I’m not okay with him hurting you and you allowing your shame to make you cover for him. It’s fucked up! He shouldn’t hurt you.”

“He’s not!”

“The fuck he isn’t! Did he seriously just finger you a bit and then fuck you for your first time? Gods, Vegeta, I could barely handle him and I have been with a _lot_ of guys since you!”

“That has nothing to—“

“Yes, it does! It shows an abject lack of care for his mate!”

“You hurt my ass too! I obviously just have a very sensitive ass!”

“Vegeta, why didn’t you say something if I hurt you?” Talon looked so sad that Vegeta wanted to comfort him. “Why didn’t you say anything with _him_? He’s your mate, for fuck’s sake! I get it if you don’t bother with a one night stand, but with—“

Vegeta roared, “Because he’s my mate! I would take anything, tolerate anything for him! Why does everyone think that’s so wrong? I love him, Talon!”

“Love shouldn’t hurt, Vegeta!”

“Says the man who flew across the universe after I destroyed him!”

“You certainly never hit me!”

“Piccolo doesn’t hit me!”

“Well, then, what is it? I see, I feel, that he’s hurt you badly, and you should just stop fucking—“

“He fucking raped me, Talon! Okay? Gods! There’s the pathetic fucking truth. I…I…he raped me when he was drunk and I don’t even know if it’s rape because I didn’t defend myself. Gods. Fuck you and your judgement and your ideas about love. I know it’s pathetic and I know others think I should leave, but I don’t care. I love him. I’m not leaving. I don’t care what he did. But it’s humiliating, and I didn’t want you to know how pathetic I am. But you couldn’t fucking leave it alone. And now our fun weekend is over. It’s ruined. Because why or how could you even stand to be with me? When Bulma and Piccolo are done, I’m going home and you and Bulma can enjoy the rest of your time here knowing what kind of idiotic, weakling bullet you dodged. So just fucking leave me alone until they’re done.” Vegeta rushed to flee.

Talon grabbed him, held him tightly, and said nothing for a long time. Vegeta stifled his tears, but he counted each second until Talon would leave. Talon’s mouth pressed against his collarbone, then up his neck, over his jaw, and when Talon reached his mouth, Vegeta turned away and hissed, “I don’t need your fucking pity, Talon. I’ve got enough shame on my own without you feeling sorry for me. Please just go. Fucking go! Gods. I can’t even stand the humiliation.”

But Talon kept kissing so insistently that Vegeta’s mouth relented, kissing him back. “Gods, Talon…” he whispered, “Please just go. Please go…I can’t…I can’t stand it…”

“Can’t stand what, Vegeta?” Talon said softly, kissing Vegeta more passionately.

“I can’t stand you knowing.”

“Why? I’m sorry. That’s all. I’m sorry he treated you that way, but I understand how love makes one…tolerant,” Talon whispered and pressed his mouth to Vegeta’s. “Let me love you, Vegeta. Let me love you…please? Tell me, okay?”

“I don’t…I don’t want that…” Vegeta murmured.

“Yes, you do. You need someone to fuck you that you don’t love so much you tolerate their bullshit. You love me, but not to stupidity, right?”

“Talon…Please…just leave me alone. I’m disgusting.”

“No, you’re not,” Talon grabbed the lube and poured it over Vegeta’s bud as he whispered, “Don’t let me hurt you, Vegeta. What the fuck? Where’s my Saiyan dog of war? The one who bossed me around? Huh?”

“That man is a power-top, Talon, and he’s dead. He couldn't even finger himself. He couldn’t even contemplate…think about…about directing how to…how to...”

“Be penetrated?” Talon offered, his fingertips caressing Vegeta’s ass.

Vegeta nodded, turning away. Talon bit his ear and said, “Well, if a lifelong bottom is going to be your top, you’d better be a fucking power-bottom and tell me what to do. You weren’t meant to be subjugated against your will, Vegeta, it’s anathema to your nature.”

“Talon…” Vegeta groaned as his first love moved his fingers up and down over Vegeta’s opening.

“Vegeta, I can rim like it’s my job, but I haven’t fingered anybody else besides myself. I haven’t even done Bulma’s ass. Tell me what to do, okay? Tell me how to love you. And I know he’s your mate. Your only. Your husband. I’m your therapist. Your healer. Your antidote. So do what needs doing and care for your body, Vegeta. Let me love you like you loved me for so long. Please? I love you so much.”

Vegeta’s hips rolled up towards Talon’s hand. Vegeta was sore from fucking Piccolo so roughly in his frenzy. He said shakily, “Talon, I can’t…I’m…I’m already hurt from earlier, please…I can’t…”

“I’ve been there, Vegeta, and I could always bring myself off, so don’t hide behind what he’s already done—“

“I did it. I fucked him—“

“Vegeta, stop. Stop. Just stop. Tell me, just me, submissive, bottom Talon, who loves you, what you want. What you need.”

“I…can’t.”

“You can. Think of your babies. Get your shit together, Vegeta. You’ll be a better lover to Piccolo if you figure this out, and you’ll be a better father if you two aren’t having all kinds of crazy shit because you can’t communicate your sexual needs.” Talons fingers resumed their trail up and down over Vegeta’s asshole.

Vegeta gasped and said, “That feels good, that pressure, but…but…I want circles, don’t go away from…from…from what I need. From my pucker. Right on it. Tight circles,” and he shuddered as Talon obeyed. He growled low in his throat with the pleasure.

Talon kissed him hard and whispered, “Fuck, Vegeta, I want to do a good job so that maybe you’ll want me to fuck you. Help me do a good job. Please? Oh, gods, please, baby? I can’t even imagine how good your ass will feel gripping my dick.”

Vegeta smirked and kissed Talon, “I need your dick in me, so I’ll do my best. But you know I love to draw it out. Let’s draw it out together. Can you give me that one last time?”

Talon’s eyes glassed over and he said, “Fuck. Yeah. I wish it wasn’t the last time.”

“Maybe it won’t be. But let’s fuck like it is. We did always like unnecessary, horrible goodbyes.” He laughed and Talon did too and then he groaned, “Keep touching me like that, but just…just push a tiny bit into me, okay?”

Talon nodded, breathlessly kissing Vegeta as his fingertip sampled Vegeta’s bud, then came out. He did it repeatedly until Vegeta said, “Now slow, smooth, you can go in deeper, just the one finger, the second knuckle. Slow, so slow…”

Talon’s eager fingers swirled on Vegeta for a moment before his middle finger slipped deeper inside Vegeta and Talon gave a stuttering cry, “Fuck, Vegeta, holy gods, I…I…is this…fuck…is this what it feels like? For you? When you…when you touch me?”

“Better,” Vegeta rumbled, savaging Talon’s mouth. “Hold still,” Vegeta commanded and he rocked his hips against Talon’s hand until he panted, “Okay, more lube, then deeper, if you reach inside me, like you’re reaching for my belly button, you should be able to feel my prostate. That’s the magic spot. You found it earlier, you were just too rough and not focused enough. That’s how I make you beg.”

Talon’s face was slack with bliss as he followed Vegeta’s instructions and he stammered, “Oh, fuck, Vegeta, oh fuck, you feel amazing. What do you like? How do you want me to touch it?”

Vegeta almost reverted to focusing on pleasing Talon, but decided to adhere to Talon’s wish. He pushed onto Talon’s hand and groaned. Moaned. Loved every second of that single finger deep inside him. He gasped, “No more fingers, but reach deeper and just tap it. Tap it again and again. Then I’ll be ready for you.”

Talon curled over him, sucked his ear, and said, taking Vegeta back to their early time together, “Captain, the goal of this training exercise is not my dick in your ass. The goal of this exercise is you coming hard, really hard. Full body hard. Teaching your soldier to please you. Once your soldier is competent at that, then we can talk about my dick in your ass.”

“Talon, I’m good, I can take—“

“Nope. Shut up. It’s mutiny. I feel what you need now, just shut up and take it.”

Vegeta intended to protest, but Talon’s single, purposeful finger took Vegeta’s instruction and tapped Vegeta’s prostate so rhythmically and firmly that milky fluid started to pour out of his slit. He groaned, “Talon…please…”

Talon gave him a lopsided grin and said, “Yes, baby, yes. I’m sorry I never gave this to you,” and he pressed hard on the spot until Vegeta wailed and spurted again and again, his whole body tensing and relaxing in time with his cum and by the end, he felt like a liquid.

Talon’s finger remained inside him as he bent to kiss Vegeta softly, and Vegeta whispered, shockingly close to tears, “I know it’s petty, but I hate hearing you call her…call her…what you used to call me.”

Talon rested his forehead against Vegeta’s. “It felt like the only way I could move past you, Vegeta, the only way I could let you go.”

“I know…I was just sad.”

“You don’t…you don’t call Piccolo _minaiya_?”

Vegeta flushed. “He can’t really be…be my _minaiya_ , I don’t have a tail…but, but more than that, it reminded me too much of you. He’s my beloved, but…I could never call him that. I don’t think he even knows I speak Saiyan. He forgets that Earth is a tiny part of my life, because it’s all of his.”

“Maybe without your tail…you’re less Saiyan. Maybe that’s why you don’t call him—”

“Don’t, Talon. Of course I’m less Saiyan. But that isn’t why. You were different for me. Even if we couldn’t be together, you were different. Special.”

“Vegeta…don’t torment me more, please…it…it breaks my heart.”

“I…sorry. Thank you. For this. For everything,” Vegeta said, aching to make Talon less unhappy.

“I’m not finished yet. I still want to fuck you. I still want you to fuck me.”

Vegeta rolled Talon onto his back and kissed him until Talon writhed against his thigh. Vegeta growled, “Gods, I still love kissing you. Do you really want me to fuck you, _minaiya_? Do you still want my seed?”

Talon’s eyelids fell heavy as his hips rose up against Vegeta. “Please, Vegeta, please.”

“There’s no going back from this, Talon. Are you sure? You want my child? Maybe twins?”

Talon’s mouth was open as he cried out, squeezing Vegeta’s leg between his own wiry thighs. “I know, Vegeta, I have wanted this for so long. Please, baby, fuck me properly. Make it worth something, all this aching love.”

Vegeta’s mouth crushed Talon’s, his heart breaking, and he rasped, “I love you, _minaiya,_ that’s the only reason I can do this. I want it. I want you to have my child,” and he plunged deep inside Talon, the soft velvet grip of him so familiar and yet so different from Piccolo’s.

His mating mark came alive with a strange, radiating ecstasy, like it needed to come, but couldn’t quite tip over the edge. Vegeta spread Talon’s legs wide, suddenly guilty that he hadn’t given Talon a bit of foreplay. He caressed his first love’s face, “Okay, _minaiya_?”

“So much better than okay, _atheanna_. Exquisite. Sublime. Perfect. Don’t rush, baby, don’t rush. I want to savor you.”

Vegeta kissed Talon deeply and their hands were alive on each other’s skin, while Vegeta’s hips kept up a slow, steady roll, his mark buzzing more as he continued. In his mind, he could hear and feel Piccolo getting pegged very aggressively by Bulma, complete with restraints, a cock ring, and a blindfold. He smiled to himself. Maybe Bulma was just what Piccolo needed.

Talon wrapped his legs around Vegeta with a throaty growl, “Fuck, I’m so close, _atheanna_ , do you want this? Will you…” Talon’s eyes were suddenly glassy and so scared when they looked into Vegeta’s, “Will you help with the birth, at least?”

Vegeta gasped against Talon’s lips, staring into his eyes, “Yes, _minaiya_ , of course I’ll help. And I want it. So badly. Say the word, Talon, and I’ll fill you. If that’s what you want. I can pull out if you don’t.”

“Please, _atheanna_ , come inside me. Come inside my sheath, baby, oh fuck, I’m coming!” Talon whispered against Vegeta’s ear.

Vegeta cried out, shocked by the intensity of coming inside Talon. Inside his _minaiya_. He glowed brightly, a throbbing fiery light. His mark blossomed into a rippling epicenter of pleasure and he felt his seed pouring into Talon, filling him as he’d promised. His tail scar pulsed like his tail was back, like he could feel that pleasure again.

Talon wailed, “ _Atheanna_! My heart! Oh fuck, fuck, fuck, yes, _atheanna_!” and Talon’s _theadur_ squeezed Vegeta so differently than his demon’s that he shouted with surprise and a secondary, or perhaps even tertiary, orgasm gripped him and his body seized, more semen erupted inside Talon, and he gasped at the dizzying ecstasy of his mark. It hadn’t felt that good since Piccolo made it. It had been such a consistent source of pain and suffering, that it took his breath away to have it bring him pleasure, especially in such a strange context. He truly felt like his tail was gripping Talon’s thigh, like it ran up and down his leg as it had hundreds of times when they were together.

Talon murmured, “My heart. _Atheanna_. Vegeta, your tail…” Talon rose up on his elbows and covered his mouth with his hand. He sobbed, “Oh gods, baby, how will I live without you?”

Vegeta burst helplessly into tears. He and Talon clung to one another, kissing passionately, and whispering their love and regrets and reassurances that they were each making the right choice. That what they had just done had been the right choice. Vegeta still had the eerie sensation of his tail marking Talon, slinking up and down Talon’s leg, first one, then the other. It felt so good. Vegeta didn’t understand how a phantom limb could feel so visceral. 

Vegeta rested his face on Talon’s shoulder and said, “Am I…am I the only one?”

“Yes. Bulma has touched it now, of course, but never…never this. I’ve never mated. Or let anyone touch it, even. How did I make it do that? How did I make it come back?” Talon said, and then Vegeta felt his claws trailing along the skin of Vegeta’s tail.

He whipped his head around. There, as if it had never been amputated, was his tail, truly wrapped around Talon’s thigh, its tip already doing naughty things, and its base arching toward Talon’s touch. "Holy fucking shit! Holy shit, _minaiya_! Holy shit!” Vegeta rejoiced and panicked, and until that moment, he hadn't realized just how much he had missed his tail. How incredible touching Talon with his tail was. Vegeta groaned, “Oh gods, Talon, oh gods, it’s going to…it’s going to make me come again. My tail on your skin…oh gods…I hope…I hope it takes, Talon. I know it’s selfish, but gods, I want you to have my child.”

Talon touched his face, kissed him. “Then why don’t you fuck me again, just to be sure? My Captain would never risk failure in a training exercise,” he said, giving Vegeta his saucier half-smile and kissing him deeply.

Vegeta smirked down at him, rolling his hips, and said, “You were always insatiable, soldier.”

“Mmm…says the man whose tail fucked me while he slept.”

“I was only resting!”

Talon chuckled. “Your tail had a sex-life all its own. You’re just jealous. Lucky Piccolo.”

Vegeta froze and whispered, “Fuck, Talon, I…Saiyans usually don’t…don’t…”

Talon’s eyes bored into him as he finished Vegeta's thought, “Let more than one lover touch their tail? Mate with more than one person? Because that’s what you’ve done, Vegeta. You didn’t mean to, I know your tail chose me and you chose Piccolo. I don’t know what that means for you. For your body. For your tail…” Talon looked away. “For me.”

Vegeta started to shake. “Oh fuck. Oh fuck. He’s…he’s…I love him. I can’t do this to him. We have to cut it off again.”

Talon’s face went muddy green. “Fucking gods! No, Vegeta! No! If he doesn’t love you as you are, he doesn’t fucking love you! He doesn’t deserve you!”

“But what if…what if…”

“Vegeta, calm down, and fuck me. It’s back. Let’s enjoy what time we have and figure the rest out later. Maybe it’ll fall off again once you’re not in my _theadur_. Okay? Settle down. I can’t believe you mated with someone you’re fucking scared of. Gods, I can’t believe you’re scared of anyone.”

“That’s…no. You misunderstand my fear. I’m afraid he’ll leave me. When he left me before…” Vegeta said, then his eyes snapped up to Talon’s. “Fuck, is that what I did to you?”

“Yeah, Vegeta, and I even got raped in the package too! Though not by you, at least,” Talon said, and Vegeta cringed at the venom in his first love’s voice. Bowed his head with shame that he’d done such a thing to his sweet, beautiful _minaiya_.

Vegeta kissed him softly and whispered, “I’m so sorry, _minaiya_ , I’m so sorry I left you the way I did. I was a coward. I should’ve protected you. I shouldn’t have…I don’t know. I don’t know what the point of anything was without you.”

Talon shrugged and started to roll against Vegeta again, gasping, despite his earlier anger, “I’m just so glad I found you again, _atheanna_ , that’s all that matters.”

“I’m glad you found me too. I love you,” Vegeta growled, “Thank you for resurrecting my tail. It’s wonderful to feel it on your skin again. I’ve missed that so much.”

Talon’s lopsided smile returned and he whispered, “I have missed your tail. Gods how I missed it. I’d almost forgotten how soft, how velvety, it is. It’s almost like the inside of my _theadur._ ”

They made love more slowly now, murmuring to one another, reminiscing more, until they came together, in tears. As they kissed languidly afterwards, Vegeta groaned suddenly, grabbing his mark, and he could feel Piccolo coming hard, deep inside himself, like the mark was a tunnel that poured Piccolo’s pleasure into Vegeta. Had Piccolo felt his, he wondered? More terrifyingly, had Piccolo felt his lovesick anguish about Talon? The regrowth of his tail? The fact that he, according to Saiyan tradition and possibly magic, was now mated to two men?

Talon cried, “Vegeta?” his eyes filled with concern, “Are you okay? What happened?”

Vegeta took a few heaving breaths. “Yes. Gods. I just…I just felt Piccolo come. That’s never happened. Though I suppose I’m usually with him when he comes. But this was…this was inside me. Like…Like I felt _his_ orgasm.” Vegeta looked at the mark. It was healed over completely. A perfect scar, no sign of its earlier anger. He continued, “Thank you, Talon, for saving me. For sucking the death out of me. I couldn’t have fought it again. And thank you…thank you for giving yourself to me, like this. I don’t deserve it.”

“Oh, _atheanna_ , you do deserve it. I know why you did what you did, even if I wish you hadn’t. Even if I got hurt because of it. But I love Bulma. You love Piccolo. We’ll all be happy.”

“Bulma is wonderful. I couldn’t wish better for either of you.”

Talon smiled weakly. Then he frowned. “Will you, Vegeta? Will you be happy?”

“I am happy.”

“I’m scared for you, baby. Promise me you won’t let him hurt you again. Promise me, _atheanna_.”

“He won’t, _minaiya_ , he won’t,” Vegeta said, willing it to be true.

“That’s not what I asked, Vegeta.”

“Talon…if he tries again, I will die. I can’t take it again, and defending myself would require hurting him…and that wouldn’t change my survival. But I’ll do better with being a bottom. Thank you for…for…teaching me.” Vegeta kissed Talon, his hand running up and down Talon’s flank, stopping to squeeze his ass and pull their hips together. He whispered, almost inaudibly, “And thank you…for not judging me.”

Talon sneered angrily and hissed, “ _You_ are not the one who deserves judgment, Vegeta.”

“Please, you can’t say anything to him, okay? Promise me? It’s going to be crazy enough to deal with my tail’s resurrection.”

“Because I know it would humiliate you further, I will keep quiet. Only because I care about you. He sickens me. I want to be clear that I would rip his throat out if I could. If I thought it would help you. I know he would destroy me, but it might be worth it to get a few good hits in. Nobody deserves to be violated in that way. It’s awful.”

“Talon, I don't want to worry about you getting hurt, so please, just let it lie. I’m sure it was nothing like what happened to you. But please, don’t, okay? I don’t want to worry about him hurting you if you go after him.”

“I suppose if he can do such a thing to his mate, he would hurt anyone—“

“Talon, no, it wasn’t like that. Our sexual relationship is complicated. I don’t think he’d ever hurt you because you’re not strong like me. Not dominant like me. Sometimes I think it’s easier to be with someone when there’s clearer…roles. Piccolo and I are both domineering, both tops, you know? Sometimes it gets ugly. Sometimes he gets…competitive…or something like it, when he shouldn’t.”

“Have you ever hurt him?” Talon asked, then lowered his voice and hissed, “ _Raped_ him? Or anyone? No! Of course you haven’t! You don’t do that to someone you love, regardless—“

“Well he did, Talon! And he loves me. He does. I don’t want to talk about it anymore. I wish I’d never told you. Because it’s shameful and humiliating and degrading that you know.”

“Fine, baby, let’s not talk about it anymore, but then you better make me think about something else,” Talon whispered, and he dug his claws into Vegeta’s ass, scratching his tail as he held Vegeta’s hips, urging Vegeta to pump into his _theadur_ , making Vegeta's skin glow seconds after Talon’s started to glow. He groaned, “Gods, Vegeta, I wish I could have you through the pregnancy…”

“I know, me too…if I weren’t about to have newborns…Do you want me to stop? In case it didn’t take? I don’t want you to suffer, _minaiya_ , and I’m afraid pregnancy without…without the father might be a lot of suffering.” Vegeta held himself still.

“No. Don’t stop, baby, I want it. I want it so badly. I was just feeling a little sorry for myself,” Talon said, and kissed Vegeta.

Vegeta murmured against Talon’s lips, “If Piccolo is okay with it, I’ll stay with you as long as I can…” He closed his eyes and pressed their foreheads together.

“He’ll say no, Vegeta,” Talon breathed. His hips rose up to meet Vegeta’s thrusts and Vegeta could barely think coherently it felt so good to be inside Talon and have his tail on Talon’s skin again. Talon slid his hand down, and pushed his fingertips against Vegeta’s mark. Vegeta didn’t know what to expect, but the explosion of ecstasy was not it. Vegeta didn’t know what to make of anything that his mark did.

Vegeta kissed Talon more, told himself it was to soothe Talon, but he knew in his aching heart that it was to soothe himself. Vegeta’s tail slinked around until it could both embrace Talon and stroke his cock. It obviously still liked being covered in cum. Vegeta whispered, “Fuck, Talon…my tail has such good taste. You were the best thing that ever happened to me…” 

As they writhed together, kissing and touching, Vegeta’s mark started to buzz pleasantly. He gasped his love for Talon, held his beautiful, petite Namek’s hip as he pulsed into him, and they came together again, glowing even more brightly. Vegeta slowed his hips gradually, trying to catch his breath. He needed to pull out soon or he would just fuck Talon again and again. “Fuck, Talon, you still wreck me. I guess we should go check on our mates. I better face the fucking music about my tail sooner rather than later. I’m tempted to just stay inside you until we have to go back.”

Talon tipped Vegeta’s mouth back to his and whispered, “Mmm…that sounds nice. Do we have to stop? You feel so good inside me. And fuck, your tail, Vegeta, it is still so naughty.”

Vegeta rolled his hips, making them both groan. “We’ll have fun with them too. We did earlier. How long was I out, anyway?”

“A few hours.”

“A few hours?! Fuck!”

“We did, a time or two.”

Vegeta chuckled. “Oh? Do tell.”

“A lady never tells,” Talon said with a coy smile.

Vegeta pushed his tail out of the way to stroke Talon’s seemingly permanent hard-on and growled, “Good thing you’re no lady.”

“I fucked Piccolo while he fucked Bulma. Then he gave me head while she tried to give him head. That’s a feat, by the way, which he says you are amazing at, despite his size. Bulma couldn’t get the job done, so she titty-fucked him. Which was something I did not know was a thing until Bulma.”

“Her tits are delightful. And you give me shit about my rim jobs, but I put my oral efforts into things like sucking Piccolo’s dick.”

“You don’t like giving rim jobs, Vegeta, that’s okay. You can admit it. I _do_ like giving them, especially to you. You always fussed about it because you don’t like giving them, you could never just accept that I liked doing it to you. Loved it.”

“No, I fussed because I wanted you to fuck me. Why didn’t you want to fuck me? Or at least finger me? I always wanted you to fuck me, Talon. I used to fantasize about it while I was fucking you.”

Talon shrugged. “I should have. I’m sorry. But I do prefer being the receiver. Of everything. But I’ve gotten a taste for being the giver with Bulma. She’s expanding my horizons. And once I got a taste…”

“Was he…did you like it? Fucking Piccolo? Ass or sheath?”

“Ass. He was a wreck, Vegeta. I only did it to calm him down. I offered any way he wanted. I think he’s probably still a wreck. Though I’m surprised he isn’t worse, now that I know.”

“Outside this room, outside my arms, even, you don’t, okay?”

“As you wish, Vegeta,” Talon said and burrowed against Vegeta’s chest. “Gods, you smell so good. I kept one of your uniforms that you left at our place, a dirty one. I kept it an embarrassingly long time.”

Vegeta chuckled and said, “Is it in your pod, right now?”

Talon flushed and gave Vegeta his heartbreaking smile. “Maybe.”

Vegeta nuzzled him and said, “I had one of your civvy shirts in my pod. When I almost died on Earth, they cleaned out my pod while I was in the healing tank. It was gone when I came out and I lost my shit a little. I wept for that shirt. That ridiculous orange one that I taunted you about. I stole it. At the very beginning.”

Talon’s eyes filled with tears, but he smiled and laughed. “We were good together, weren’t we? We would have been together forever, I think, in any just world.”

“Mmm…we were, soldier, and I think you’re right. Come on, don’t make me cry too. Let’s go find our mates, _minaiya_ , because it is not a just world,” Vegeta said, “Talon, it may be…unpleasant…when I pull out.”

“I know. It's part of being…being _atheanna_ ,” Talon choked out. He took a shuddering breath. “Bulma will carry me through the pregnancy. I hope.”

Vegeta met Talon’s eyes again. “Oh, _minaiya_ , I hope this was the right choice. I hope I didn’t just make your life worse. I hate making you suffer,” Vegeta whispered and kissed Talon as he pulled out at last. The discomfort was mild, so he thought maybe it hadn’t taken. Maybe that was for the best. He didn’t know what the best was anymore, especially now that his tail had grown back to complicate things. He didn’t understand his heart. His mark. His mind.


	11. Quadrangles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I set up a ko-fi account if you're inclined to buy me a "coffee" :) www.ko-fi.com/dbzkink If you've made it this far, thank you so much for sticking with me through the trilogy! It's been so exciting to share this with the world and have a little Piccolo/Vegeta (and Talon) loving corner of the fandom enjoy it! We're getting close the end! Thank you all for reading and commenting and kudoing! It really makes my day :D

Piccolo and Bulma were swimming, cast in the gold of the setting sun. There was a picnic under the sun tent, still packed up. Bottles of champagne chilling in sweating ice-buckets. Vegeta eyed the alcohol warily.

Talon laced his fingers with Vegeta’s as they strolled down to the beach. Vegeta’s tail remained snugly around Talon’s thigh. When they were close to the water, Vegeta pulled his tail back and grabbed Talon on either side of his waist and launched him high in the air. Talon yelped, but recovered, tightening his body, and doing several flips before diving beautifully with little more than a ripple. As he surfaced, smiling, Vegeta called, “Show-off!”

“If you set ‘em up, I’ll knock ‘em down, _ath_ —Vegeta!”

Vegeta’s breath caught, hearing Talon elide the pet-name. It brought home for Vegeta that their time together was no more than a vivid dream. That it would end. That he would have to say goodbye to this aspect of his relationship to Talon and move on with his life with Piccolo. Move past what Piccolo had done. He began to regret ever coming to the island and awakening his long hibernating feelings for Talon. And now his tail was back, inflaming his love for Talon even more. 

Until Talon’s return, Vegeta had done a good job with his denial about his first love, downplaying everything in his mind, trying to change his own memory and justify leaving Talon. Justify everything that had led to him being with Piccolo, and opening the tap on that spigot of memories was not helping Vegeta deal with his shit with Piccolo. His tail was not going to help either. Already he could feel it flicking when he looked at Talon, not at Piccolo. But Vegeta hoped it would learn to love Piccolo too.

Piccolo burst out of the water near Vegeta and wrapped him in long, powerful arms, smiling and kissing him as he growled, “Gods, Vegeta, I felt you come. I felt you come like it was me coming. It was so h—“ Piccolo’s voice died in his throat and he gaped as his eyes went wide, filling with tears.

Vegeta’s tail lashed happily behind him, like it enjoyed Piccolo touching Vegeta, but wasn’t sure what to do about it. Vegeta willed it to touch Piccolo, but it wouldn’t. Not yet, at least. Piccolo croaked, “Holy fucking shit, Vegeta…how…how did this happen? What? Oh fuck. Oh fuck. Oh fuck!” Piccolo said, breathing so fast Vegeta worried he would pass out. He let go of Vegeta and clutched his head between his hands.

“Piccolo, settle down. Calm down. Breathe. Actually, breathe less. Hey. Hey. Look at me. Look at me,” Vegeta said and moved Piccolo’s hands to hold his face. He looked deep into Piccolo’s eyes and smiled at his love, his mate, and kissed him deeply. He said, “How was Bulma? I felt you too, it was amazing. You _like_ getting pegged, don’t you?”

Piccolo’s half-smile was so different than Talon’s, so much more predatory, but Vegeta loved it. Loved his demon despite all he’d done to Vegeta. “Yeah, I really liked it! I really like Bulma, actually. Like a lot. More than I would ever have imagined.”

Vegeta raised his eyebrows. He ventured, “Enough that…maybe…maybe this would be fun…again?”

Piccolo blushed and bent to kiss Vegeta. He whispered, “You’re not mad?”

“No. I like fucking Bulma, too.”

“But…what…what does it mean?” Piccolo stroked Vegeta’s mark. Vegeta stroked his in turn.

“I have no fucking clue, my demon love. My mate. But my mark is healed. I love you. My tail is back. So let’s enjoy our weekend and figure it out as we go along, okay?”

Piccolo’s eyes looked hopeful and guileless and loving as he grinned and said, “Okay. Yeah. Okay. Did you and Talon, um, did you?”

“Yes. We did. And…depending on when the eggs hatch, Piccolo…I…uh…I'd really like to carry him through his pregnancy and labor. Would…would you…can I?”

Piccolo’s face collapsed, but he recovered quickly. “Um, I…I…Can I think about it? This…what happened…I’m kind of shaken up, Vegeta. Your tail being back is…it’s…it’s not helping.”

Vegeta held his eyes. “He knows. I told him.”

Now Piccolo’s whole body collapsed like somebody had ripped out his spine. “Oh fuck. Oh fuck. Vegeta. Fuck. He…he’ll tell Bulma. I really liked fucking Bulma.”

“No, he won’t. He knows that would humiliate me. And if he does, she will never let a soul know. Including you.”

“But she’ll…she won’t want to…Fuck. I didn’t realize how shitty it was going to feel if you told,” Piccolo’s tears finally fell and he took his hands off Vegeta’s waist.

Vegeta crossed his arms and said, “You don’t get to make me feel like an asshole for something you did.”

“No, I know. I just. After your reaction, I kind of, uh, I kind of thought I was in the clear, that I wouldn’t have to face anyone hating me for it. Judging me.”

Vegeta rolled his eyes and growled, “What do you want me to say, Piccolo? I’m sorry that you fucking _raped_ me? I certainly am. I’m very sorry.”

“No! No! Fuck, Vegeta, no. But I can still be ashamed of myself, right?”

“If that will keep you from doing it again,” Vegeta said, flaring his nostril.

“I won’t! Gods. Can…can we just enjoy the rest of the weekend and decide about the pregnancy stuff once we know if he’s actually pregnant?”

“Sure. I heard you got a little Talon in you too,” Vegeta said, trying to lighten the mood, sliding his hands back around Piccolo’s waist.

Piccolo frowned. “Yeah. He was a pretty good top, surprisingly. And…and…oh gods, Vegeta. I’m having a really hard time. I’m sorry. I can just feel how much you still love him. What are we going to do?”

“I’m going to keep loving you. That’s as far as I’ve gotten,” Vegeta said, and took Piccolo’s face in his hands to kiss him. “I might fuck you, if you’re of a mind. Because I love fucking you, Piccolo. So stop moping. Tell me more about what you and Bulma did.”

“Maybe, uh, maybe we could just show you guys? You two could jump in a little?”

“That sounds perfect.”

“You’re being really mellow right now, Vegeta and I can’t…I can’t read what’s going on in your head. Can…can you show me? I’m trying not to freak out, but I’m kind of freaking out.”

“I love Talon, Piccolo. You’ll see that in there. If you want it, I’ll show you. But…you need to decide if you want to see. I…I buried what I felt for him. My memories with him. But they’ve been exhumed, Piccolo. And I still love you. You’re still my mate. My husband. Okay? So if you want me to show you, I will, but you need to know that. You need to promise me this isn’t going to lead to ass-ripping crazy bullshit. Especially with him. If you want to hurt me, you can wait until we get home. But you can’t hurt him. And I will protect him. I won’t _let_ you hurt him.”

Piccolo nodded and swiped at more tears. His brow furrowed further and he said, “I…Okay. I’m not there. Can you at least explain the tail situation? I feel…judged…by your tail. Which is weird.”

“My tail was, well, _is_ in love with Talon. It loves him fiercely. Saiyan tails…usually choose the person you mate with. So, I’m in a pretty weird situation. Because I chose you, and I mated with you. But long ago, it chose him, but I rejected its choice. I fucked his _theadur_ and it just…grew back.”

“Did you…did you glow? Did you glow with him?”

“Yes.”

“Fuck, Vegeta…” Piccolo groaned and squeezed Vegeta in his arms. “I’m freaking out. I’m freaking out a lot.”

“Go to Dende.”

“Not that kind of freak out. I don’t want to hurt you. I just want to curl up in a ball and cry. He’s…he’s better for you, but I’m so, so selfish, Vegeta, and I just want you to stay with me anyway,” Piccolo said, a choked sob breaking free.

“Piccolo! The fuck! I _am_ with you. That’s not changing. You’re my mate. But…well…you liked fucking Bulma. Maybe we’ll just be…flexible.” Piccolo started to cry in earnest and Vegeta held him in his arms. “Or not, my demon. Stop crying. Come on.”

“My love, I just…I thought…Okay. Okay. I’m okay. Hey, I’m sorry. I love you. Thanks for, um, thanks for telling me the truth. Even though it sucks and I’m a baby about it.”

“You’re not a baby for crying for me, my demon. I’ve certainly cried plenty for you. And maybe we’re done making each other cry,” Vegeta said, caressing his demon’s cheek. Vegeta turned to see Bulma and Talon talking. Bulma looked as upset as Piccolo. Vegeta hoped that Talon wasn’t breaking things off with her. They kissed though, and Vegeta thought Bulma looked antsy, not angry. She looked up and met Vegeta’s eyes and he knew immediately that Talon had told her. He briefly, furiously, hated Talon. He had no right. But Vegeta supposed he told his mate everything too, so maybe it was a good sign, maybe it meant Talon would be okay without him.

“Vegeta, would you feel…better about things if you fuck him through his pregnancy?”

“Of course I would. Can you imagine your pregnancy without me?”

“No,” Piccolo said miserably.

“Well, I want that for him, but I understand if you can’t cope with that. And for all I know, Bulma can provide the same…support. I don’t know. But I would like to…I would like to be there for him if I can. But not at the cost of your suffering. Let’s go see if they want to fuck,” Vegeta said, tugging Piccolo toward Talon and Bulma.

“No, Vegeta, they won’t want to now that they know, I think I should probably head home, okay?”

“What?! No, fuck that. Stop punishing me for your fucking mistakes!” Vegeta hissed.

“How is me leaving punishing _you_? I want you to stay and have a good time!”

“I can’t have a good time without you, Piccolo, don’t you get that? I can’t have a good time if you’re upset. I can’t have a good time if you keep acting like this is worse for you than it is for me. I’m the one who got fucking raped. You’re the godsdamned rapist! So knock it off. If I have to tell you again to stop moping about fucking raping me, I’m going to be pissed.”

“I’m not moping about raping you, I’m moping that my mate is fucking in _love_ with another man!”

“Maybe I wouldn’t be if you hadn’t fucking _raped me_!” Vegeta bit out, his chest heaving now, even though he was whispering angrily, not shouting. His own tears were threatening to fall.

“Bullshit, Vegeta! You never stopped loving him!”

“I buried it, Piccolo! It was buried! Then you fucking did what you did, and my mark turned into a fucking gangrenous wound, and this—this—me fucking him and my tail growing back—is what was necessary to _heal_ the injury you caused. Don’t put this on me! Don’t you fucking dare! And you’re the fucker who invited him here and you can blame Kami all you want, but that was your fucking choice too! You left me! You left me to merge with him, and it was pointless! You destroyed me and then you’re mad that things aren’t going perfectly smoothly? What the fuck did you expect, Piccolo? It has been nothing but a shit-show since you merged! And yet I'm still with _you!_ I still fucking love _you!_ ”

Piccolo shrank away from him and now Vegeta experienced the usual come down of expressing his true feelings about Piccolo’s behavior. It rankled him to be so in love and so infuriated at the same time and he understood Piccolo’s insecurity, because things were _easier_ with Talon, but he knew, he understood, in the depths of his heart, that Talon had similarly confused feelings about Vegeta. Vegeta had hurt Talon almost exactly as Piccolo had hurt Vegeta, and there simply wasn’t any way back from such egregious injuries. Such deep, painful wounds. “Piccolo, come on. Please?”

“What? What do you want me to do?”

“Show me. Show me what you and Bulma did.”

“She’s not going to want to peg a rapist, Vegeta, gods,” Piccolo whispered and his his face in his hands.

“Why don’t we see what she says? I’m sure she’s scared too, Piccolo, I just maybe knocked up her fiancé.”

Piccolo said very softly, “I…Oh, Vegeta…I just love you so much. I’m sorry for how badly I fucked everything up.”

“Then let me move on, Piccolo. Let’s move on together, but I need you to be open to that possibly looking a little different than it might’ve without…without the other stuff.”

“I don’t even know how,” Piccolo whined.

“Stop freaking out about me not loving you. My love for you has never wavered. Even…even when you did it. Even then. The only reason I didn’t turn you to ash was my love. Because it was terrible, Piccolo. Just…fucking awful.”

“Yeah…I think…I think you maybe only gave me the censored version—“

“I didn’t fucking _give_ you anything. You _took_ it. Stay out of my fucking head without permission. I won't tolerate that again. Next time you’ll get the real deal and you don’t want it, Piccolo. You really fucking don’t.”

Piccolo shook his head and scooped Vegeta up and walked toward Bulma and Talon. He said, “Let’s go see if they can be as mellow as you, Vegeta.”

Bulma looked shocked and hurt, as if Piccolo had assaulted her. Her eyes were watery and wide and Talon looked ready to attack Piccolo at any moment, at any false step. Vegeta had no patience for any of it. Vegeta snarled, “Well, are you two going to be able to move past this or should we go?”

Bulma stared into Piccolo’s eyes and said, her voice choked, “Is it true, Piccolo? Is that…when I got you drunk to propose doing _this_?”

“Yeah…I…I had some shit I needed to work out in my head and it came out in a fucking terrifying way when I was drunk.”

“How…how could you do that to him? I mean, literally, how, he could dest—“

Vegeta cut her off, growling, “I let him. And I don't want to talk about this any more than strictly necessary. So are you two done with us, or can you just fucking let it go? Make up your minds.”

“Don’t you boss me around, Vegeta! I can ask him a few questions! I was just alone in a room with him and I want to know if that’s fucking _safe_ , because I wouldn’t have to let him hurt me, he just—“

Piccolo cut her off and said, “No, Bulma, fuck, no. I did it…I did it because part of me can’t stand that he’s stronger, better, more…more dominant. You know? But I’m over it. I worked through it. I just wish I’d worked through it before…before it came to that.”

Vegeta snorted and said, “Yes, we all do. Bulma, I will destroy him if he tries to hurt you. You have my word.”

“Mine too,” Talon said, crossing his arms.

“And I will protect Talon as well, if he makes a misguided attempt at fighting Piccolo.”

“Okay. Damnit, Piccolo, I really liked pegging you! And I really liked getting fucked by you!” Bulma said, pouting.

“I liked those things too, Bulma, and I liked it when Talon fucked me while I titty-fucked you. I…I don’t want to…holy shit…” Piccolo slumped down into the water, sitting in the waves. Vegeta squatted so he could see Piccolo's face.

“My demon? Are you okay?”

“I just…I don’t want this weekend to be it. Not just for you, Vegeta, although, I kind of feel like maybe the right thing for me to do is to let you have…have Talon…but…I…I…Maybe…maybe, could we, like…even once we’re back, couldn’t we sometimes…” Piccolo trailed off and looked around at the three sets of eyes watching him.

Bulma and Talon looked at each other. She said softly, “I mean, you’re already way more of a father to Trunks than Vegeta is, and…I mean…Talon…if you’re pregnant, cutie…they…they will technically be Vegeta’s…so what if…I don’t know…I kind of like Piccolo’s line of thinking.”

Vegeta watched and waited to see what Talon would say. His anger at Piccolo was still simmering, but he said, “Like some sort of four person mating situation? What's the word…polyamory? Where we’d all just…be…with whoever?”

Vegeta looked back down to Piccolo. Piccolo said, “Well…Vegeta’s already in a bit of a conundrum, right? And you’re fun, Talon, and I really, really like Bulma and she likes the…darker…aspects of my sexuality…maybe, I don’t know, it seems really fucking complicated, but maybe we all just try to be one big, kinky family? We can all fuck in various configurations as the mood strikes, raise our kids together, we all live under one roof anyway, although Vegeta and I have been thinking maybe we need to figure out a more…Saiyan-and-Namek-proof room. Something we can hose down,” he said the last part with a little chuff of laughter.

Bulma’s eyes met Vegeta’s. Then Talon looked to him. And finally Piccolo. Vegeta said mentally, _Is this really what you want? Really?_

_I don’t know for sure, but it seems like it could be. Like it could solve a lot of our problems. And…I…if not, I can be okay for you to carry him through, if he’s pregnant._

Vegeta looked at the weird love quadrangle he’d accidentally created with his decisions over the years and he thought of the different things each of them gave to him, what he gave them in return, and how they might bring something to the others. Talon and Bulma already loved each other, Bulma could fall in love with anyone, so the real wild card pair was Talon and Piccolo, and Vegeta thought they had sexual chemistry, even if they didn’t always get along. They clearly had gotten along well enough to plan this fucking soiree. Vegeta said, “Well…I guess we can try, right? What’s the worst that happens? We split back into our respective mated pairs with the memory of a lot of hot orgies? What will we tell your parents, Bulma? Or Trunks?”

She shrugged. “I’ll just say this is how aliens do it. They won’t know any better and it’s not like they’ll want the details. And Trunks is young and he’s pretty much had two dads all along, and now a third, and that would be true whether we were all fucking or not. This way they can all just be siblings and we don’t have to specify half-siblings and whole-siblings and step-siblings. We’ll all just be a family. Because Talon is definitely going to try to knock me up. And maybe Piccolo will want to knock me up too and we’ll just be like one of those crazy reality shows with a whole brood.”

Vegeta remembered why he loved Bulma. She was such an easygoing optimist, the exact opposite of Vegeta’s anxiety-riddled pessimism. He leaned forward and kissed her fervently. Pulled her onto his hips and let his love flow for her. She wrapped around him and giggled into the kiss. “Is that a yes, Vegeta?”

“Ask the two Nameks, they’re the only two that don’t want to constantly ravish one another.”

Piccolo grumped, “I do like fucking him, I’m just…I’m just a little jealous. But I think I might actually be less jealous this way. Or at least less worried. But can he…can he forgive me? Can you forgive me, Talon? For what I did?”

“You won’t do it again? Or anything like it?” Talon challenged, his eyes flashing.

“No, gods, no, never.”

“Fine, you big, dumb asshole, but you need to work on your foreplay. I like taking your monstrous prick, but you need to wield it responsibly, okay?” Talon said, but he smirked and rose up on his toes to kiss Piccolo softly. “Don’t pout. You don’t get to pout about what you did.”

“Gods, you sound just like him. Come here you dainty little morsel,” Piccolo growled and pulled Talon up on his hips. “Have you gotten to fuck him yet?”

“No, but he taught me how to finger him properly and I taught him how to be a decent bottom. I think we’re all going to have a lot of excellent sex.”

Piccolo finally seemed to relax, which meant Vegeta could finally relax, and Piccolo carried Talon while Vegeta carried Bulma and they collapsed in a kissing writhing mass on the blanket under the sun tent, feeding each other tidbits and sharing what they had all experienced in the absence of the others. Vegeta watched Piccolo carefully, but he seemed to be pleasantly shocked that Bulma and Talon weren’t taking him to task for assaulting Vegeta. Vegeta was pleasantly shocked too. He wondered if maybe they could make it work, if they could _all_ be completely happy instead of most of them being mostly happy. It made him smile and he worked his way around his loves, kissing and caressing each, letting them all chatter while he basked in a brief respite from his constant worrying.

* * *

The decision to try some very messy form of being a big polyamorous family seemed to take a lot of the tension out of the weekend because they were all no longer frantically trying to cram every possible configuration and fantasy into a forty-eight hour span. It allowed Vegeta’s three lovers to get to know one another a little better, and to learn that for the most part, they liked each other as more than sexual instruments. Vegeta knew already that Talon and Piccolo were always going to bicker, but they also seemed to genuinely enjoy their sexual interactions, and much of their bickering ended with gentle teasing and some form of physical connection. Vegeta loved watching them together: nothing visual had ever turned him on more.

Vegeta, after his ephemeral break, returned to worrying, though it found a new focus. They slept in a big pile the first night, all laughing and poking and rolling one another throughout the hours of darkness, but all managing to rest. Except Vegeta. But that had nothing to do with comfort or space. As he laid awake, his mind tuned in to what he felt happening in Talon’s body. It seemed that Saiyan semen did like making Namek twins, because Talon was pregnant, and there were two of them, their chi already radiating out of Talon’s womb and filling Vegeta with joy and terror in turn. 

As the sun rose, Piccolo slithered over onto Vegeta’s back. Vegeta was on his belly regarding Talon’s sleeping form, wondering what birth would do to his lithe body, since Piccolo, with all his strength and stamina, had nearly died. Piccolo breathed deeply against Vegeta’s skin and kissed down his spine, deftly avoiding his tail. Vegeta’s tail was like a fifth party in their already complicated relationship. He thought if Piccolo could make it through Vegeta helping Talon through his pregnancy, then Vegeta’s tail might bring Piccolo, and possibly Bulma, into the fold. He really didn’t know, as he’d never had any control over the damn thing since it met Talon. Even now it was tight around his _minaiya’s_ thigh.

Vegeta appreciated that Piccolo didn’t force the issue, or forcefully touch it. Maybe he really was done forcing Vegeta to do anything. Vegeta turned over his shoulder and met Piccolo’s mouth as he moved his broad body on top of Vegeta more, clearly wanting to fuck him but unsure how that would work with the tail. Vegeta rolled under him and whispered mentally, _Let’s move to the other cottage so we don't wake them_.

Piccolo lifted him up and crept out of the room, beginning to kiss Vegeta. He laid Vegeta on the other bed and kissed all over his chest before sliding his hand between Vegeta’s legs. Vegeta snapped them shut, “Not fucking dry! Gods, Piccolo, how many times do I have to fucking tell you—”

“No, look, I learned a trick after Talon talked to me,” Piccolo said and Vegeta felt slick, wetness on his ass.

“What? How?”

“Well, I’m a mage, and I’ve always been able to make simple things like clothes. Talon talked to me about how the mages on Namek would make all kind of things and he suggested that I learn to make lube so I could just have a constant, pretty thick stream of it, and it worked really well when he and I did it while you were knocked out, and I like the lube I make better than anything we can buy, so…Will you tell me how it feels? If…if you like it too, because I can change it, make it better for you. I’m sorry, I was trying to surprise you, because I’m an idiot who forgot all the horrible ways I’ve surprised you in the past. I’m sorry. I’m sorry, my love. You okay?”

“Yes, sorry. I overreacted.”

“No, you didn’t. Does it feel okay? Is that enough?”

“For fingers. Not for your big, beautiful cock.”

“Well I’m not ready to put my big, beautiful cock in your sweet, tight ass. I just want to touch you some first.”

“Okay…” Vegeta said, trying to calm his nerves after thinking Piccolo was going back to the same shit they’d struggled with all along.

Piccolo kissed him more and only massaged him, played with his balls, ran his slick hand up and down Vegeta’s length. It didn’t take long for Vegeta to feel better, better than better. “Fuck, Piccolo, my demon love, my mate…I want you inside me, but gentle, okay? Slow? Is that okay? I fucked myself up yesterday.”

“Of course you did, you were being fucking insane, my manic little mate,” Piccolo said fondly, kissing Vegeta’s nose, “And I would love to fuck you like it’s your first time, except try not being a fucking asshole.”

Vegeta chuckled and said, “You’re not an asshole. Well, not all the time.”

“Neither are you.”

“Mmm…well, I love you, fuckups and all…” Vegeta purred, moving Piccolo between his legs as Piccolo drenched himself in lube.

“Thank you for loving me, Vegeta. I love you ,” Piccolo whispered and eased into Vegeta slowly and added more and more lube until he was seated entirely inside Vegeta, who gasped with the pleasure and the fullness. 

He groaned, “Fuck, Piccolo, I love the way you fuck me.”

“I know you do, my love. You’re so good to me. Can I move? You okay?” Vegeta didn’t answer, he just started rolling his hips up against Piccolo’s. Piccolo ran his hand through Vegeta’s hair, bent and kissed him more, brushed their foreheads together. He gasped, “Let me in, yeah?”

“You sure? You won’t go crazy? Because I’m…” Vegeta choked up and gasped, “I’m…I’m really vulnerable and I don’t want you to hurt me again. I’d let you, but I don’t want you to do it. I don’t want you to…” Vegeta’s tears broke free. “Please don’t.”

Piccolo clutched Vegeta to his chest and kissed into his hair, holding still inside Vegeta. “No, I won’t, my love. I don’t want to hurt you ever again. I just…I just want to feel…connected again and I can’t when you’re hiding from me. I can’t when you’re scared of me.”

Vegeta nodded against Piccolo’s powerful pecs, kissing them before he laid back down and looked into Piccolo’s eyes. “You’ll kill me, if you do it. You’ll kill me if you hurt me again. I want you to know, so you know what you’re doing if you lose your shit. So you can’t pretend that you didn’t mean for it to happen.”

Piccolo was the one to nod now and tears streaked his face too as he cried, “I won’t, Vegeta. I won’t, I promise. I need you to help me raise our babies, to be with me. To love me,” he let out a snot-filled snort of laughter and said, “No one else would love me without you as an incentive.”

“That’s not true, Piccolo. It’s not.” Vegeta curled up and cupped the back of Piccolo’s skull in his hand, bringing their foreheads together, for better or worse. He let all his time on the Frieza Force with Talon pour into Piccolo, so maybe Piccolo would understand; the oppression he felt under Frieza’s slimy, clawed foot; the impossibility of having a real life as Frieza’s bitch, no matter how much he loved Talon. And with the foursome, the blooming relief of the possibility of making it almost right. Of loving Piccolo so painfully that he could never let go, that he never would, but that he also wanted so desperately to be able to love Talon without shame and guilt. That he would shove it all back down if he had to, but that he wanted to be free, at last, to really love Talon. Free to love Piccolo too. And Bulma. To love the mother of his firstborn child. The woman who had saved him from death by a broken heart twice. That Vegeta welled with love for all three of them: that there was enough for all three of them.

Piccolo pulled away and looked into Vegeta’s eyes, searched them for a long time, and kissed him softly. More deeply, rolled his hips tenderly, gently, as he slid his free hand up Vegeta’s flank, his thumb swirling on Vegeta’s nipple. He whispered against Vegeta’s lips, “Vegeta, I want you to be happy…will this…will our weird love quadrangle make you happy?”

“If you’re happy, I’m happy,” Vegeta murmured back.

“But I don’t think…I don’t think you could ever be completely happy without him, could you?” Piccolo asked, his eyes drilling into Vegeta’s.

“No, but that was true before he flew across the universe. But I was happy enough, Piccolo. If you won’t be happy, I’ll be happy enough with just you, and I’m yours. I am, and I always will be, whether or not you share me,” Vegeta said and ran his thumbs over Piccolo’s cheekbones.

Piccolo cried a little more, but laughed at the same time, kissing Vegeta more and fucking him slowly until they came together, gasping. He stayed inside Vegeta and breathed, “We’ll…we’ll always be able to do this? To be together alone like this sometimes?”

“I certainly fucking hope so. I want us all to be…free. To do as we wish within the bizarre arrangement that seems to fulfill all our needs the best. Some nights I might want to be alone with him, though, but then Bulma can dominate you, so it seems like a win-win,” Vegeta said with a smirk.

“It’s so hot when she’s slapping me and telling me I can’t come until she allows it,” Piccolo said conspiratorially, like he’d just been dying to talk to Vegeta about it.

“Your sexual psyche could be a case study, Piccolo,” Vegeta said with a chuckle.

“I know, but I can’t change how I feel,” his demon said, shrugging.

“As long as you can change when you feel like tearing me apart. Or Talon. Or Bulma. Are you really going to be okay?”

“Yeah, I’m…I’m actually pretty excited. I like making you happy for a change, my love. And…I think I can handle it, his pregnancy, because he is, isn’t he? I can feel it.”

“Yes, he is. Twins.”

“My fertile mate. Those Saiyan sperm don’t mess around. But I want you to have that too, and Bulma and I can play while you two do the dirty work. Will he be able to do it?”

“He’s tougher than you think, not powerful like you, but he’s made of sturdy stuff. Things went badly for him after I left and he…he came through it. He didn’t let it destroy him. He didn’t let _me_ destroy him.”

“I’ll talk to him about it, if you want. I’m excited for our babies to hatch, Vegeta, but I hope they’ll wait so you two can get through this together,” Piccolo said, and he snuggled on top of Vegeta as best he could, letting Vegeta wrap him in his muscular arms.

“I know. I suppose we’ll have to think of names for them.”

“Let’s meet them first.”

“Yes, I like that idea. Now should we get back to quadrangle?”

“Yeah, I still want to fuck you while Bulma’s pegging me.”

* * *

Talon and Vegeta decided to take a detour to consult Dende on the way home from the island, so Piccolo flew Bulma home. When Talon and Vegeta touched down holding hands, Dende saw them and his jaw dropped. He stammered, “Vegeta! Wha…what…what is…lord of lords, what have you done? Where is Piccolo? What…what happened to him when…when…when this happened?” He gestured between Talon and Vegeta. “I thought…how is your mark? It must be a mess!”

Vegeta lifted his shirt to reveal his smooth, scarred, and blessedly painless mating mark. Dende bustled over and touched it without permission, which pissed Vegeta off, but he let it fly since Dende had saved his life multiple times, but he said softly, “Stop it.”

“Oh, my apologies, Vegeta, that was terribly inconsiderate of me. So sorry. But…what…what does this mean? And you must be Talon? I missed meeting you the other day during your visit.”

“Nice to meet you as well, Kami-Sama,” Talon said with a little Namek bow. 

Dende’s face split in a wide grin and he bowed back. “Just Dende, please. Kami-Sama still feels pretentious. Though ‘Little Kami’ is not allowed. I wasn’t certain if you would have many Namek customs as Piccolo said you left Namek as a result of…cultural oppression.”

Talon answered in Namek and Vegeta became annoyed as they went back and forth for a very long time. He finally cleared his throat and squeezed Talon’s fingers gently. “Oh, sorry, baby,” Talon said, “We were reminiscing. He said he can check me out to make sure everything’s well even though we know I’m pregnant.”

“Do you just like touching my mates’ _theadurs_ , Dende?” Vegeta said with smirk.

“I think if anyone is to be accused of liking to touch _theadurs_ , Vegeta, it’s you. My goodness, two Nameks impregnated in the first quarter of the year. The elders would love someone with your fertilizing gusto on New Namek.”

Vegeta protested, “It’s a coincidence that they’re both Nameks!”

Talon and Dende bantered and chuckled the whole way to the little sunny room Vegeta had been in so recently with Piccolo. He held Talon’s hand, though it was easier to sit on the bed with him than with Piccolo’s massive shoulders. He kissed Talon’s forehead and then his mouth as they waited for Dende to return. He murmured, “I love you, _minaiya_.”

Talon nuzzled him and said, “And I love you, _atheanna_. I feel it already, what Piccolo was talking about. The urge and the insatiability.”

“Mmm…are you sure that’s the pregnancy? You’ve always been insatiable, my heart.”

Talon nipped at him until Dende came in, when he stopped and behaved himself. Dende examined him quickly and said with surprise, “I can’t believe you’ve fertilized a second set of Namek twins, Vegeta. I should have taken a sperm sample instead of a sample from your mating mark.”

“Leave us alone a few minutes and I’m sure I could furnish you with one if you’d like, Dende.”

Dende blushed, but laughed as he said, “Perhaps some other time. Earth has had all manner of petty troubles the past few days. Do I dare ask what is happening with you and your mate? Or how your tail is back? What does your _mate_ say about all this?”

“ _I’m_ his mate. His _first_ mate, but it doesn’t matter. We’re all mated now,” Talon said, standing up and dressing, which made Dende blush more. Vegeta was a little sad that he wouldn’t get to fuck Talon here, too. “Piccolo is fine. He’s going to be a better mate now to Vegeta, but also to me and Bulma.”

Dende gaped. “And…the tail?”

Talon rubbed his belly, already visibly swollen because he was so slender and answered before Vegeta could, “When he was reunited with me as my mate, my _atheanna_ , his _minaiya_ , it grew back. _Tails_ are how Saiyans usually mate.”

“Don’t start being catty, Talon. Piccolo is my mate, too. If you’re possessive, this will never work.”

Talon looked only a little abashed, but mostly he looked smugly at Vegeta’s tail snaked under his shirt around his waist where it joined his hand in moving softly up and down. Vegeta gave his ass a little rough slap and Talon gave him his perfect lopsided grin. 

Vegeta said, “Thank you, Dende. Sorry for all the nonsense you’ve dealt with because of me. Would you be willing to take us through another labor?”

“Of course, so long as Piccolo is well away in case Kami surfaces,” Dende said and stared into Vegeta’s eyes.

“If anything, Kami should love this development because it’s more likely to result in my…separation from Piccolo.”

“And yet this…this family you’ve created seems to have healed your mark. It’s so interesting. I don’t understand it at all.”

“Gods, neither do I, but it is what it is. These two will grow to love each other, they already like each other, they’re both just too fucking stubborn to admit it.”

“That does seem to be your type, Vegeta,” Dende said with a little knowing grin, “I will be down to check on you as you progress, Talon. Vegeta knows how to care for you, let him do so. I think he rather likes Namek mating traditions.”

“Indeed, I do,” Vegeta said and laced his fingers with Talon’s, thanked Dende a final time, and they dropped down to fly home to their other mates.

* * *

The first several days of Talon’s pregnancy they managed to part some to give attention to Piccolo and Bulma, and they made an effort to do so, even though when they were alone they wished they could have the entire pregnancy to just bond with each other, but neither minded enough to risk hurting their partners’ feelings.

But by the fourth day, Vegeta could barely bring himself to separate from Talon, and Talon pleaded with him to keep it to the necessities.  Piccolo shocked Vegeta though, helping Bulma prepare food for them and doing what he could to minimize their partings. He always kissed both of them when he came by, though he lingered on Vegeta. 

The seventh day Piccolo asked, _Doing okay, my love?_

_I’m wonderful, my demon. Thank you for being okay with this._

_Bulma and I are having fun, but I miss you._

_I miss you too, but I need him right now._

Talon’s voice startled them both _, I can hear you two, you know._

_The fuck!_ Vegeta mentally cried _, When did you learn to do this?_

_When did_ you _learn? I’ve always been able, it never occurred to me that you would be capable._

Piccolo snorted out loud and said, _Of course he’s capable, have you met him?_

_You two can’t bicker in my brain, it’s bad enough in my ears,_ Vegeta said and both his Nameks laughed.

“Come on, Piccolo, let him love on me for a few days, please? Let me borrow him?”

“Oh fine, I’ll leave you two be, but then I get a couple nights while you’re passed out from exhaustion and Bulma can take care of you, how’s that?”

“Perfect. You are just a big softy under all your grumpy murder vibes, aren’t you?”

“Don’t push me, Talon.”

“Mmm…maybe you’ll want a turn with _me_ once I’m all healed up, huh? Maybe you’ll finally admit that you’ve been itching to fuck my _theadur,_ ” Talon teased.

Piccolo’s eyes were wide and frantic as he turned to Vegeta to see his reaction. “My demon, if we’re all mated in a ridiculous square or quadrangle or whatever the hell this mess is, you can fuck him however he wishes. And vice versa.”

“Really?” Piccolo said and a hesitant grin spread on his face.

“Of course. As long as you’re both mine, I don’t mind if you’re each others’ as well. Bulma will be delighted to have me all to herself. Even if she hasn’t missed me, she’s missed my tongue.”

Vegeta watched both his mates carefully and saw that they both seemed more at ease after he’d granted them this permission. Piccolo, not to be outdone sniped back, “I think you want to fuck mine too, little Namek, so don’t be all haughty about your sweet little sheath.”

“Mammoth Namek, you make it sound as if you might have considered eating me out,” Talon said, turning his deadly lopsided smile on Piccolo.

“Maybe I have, little Namek, maybe I have. Vegeta certainly seems to enjoy it, and he has excellent taste. Well. In most cases.”

Vegeta pulled him down for a kiss, “I have excellent taste in all cases, stop being self-deprecating. Now go on, leave us to our Namek mating ritual.”

“I love you, Vegeta…and you too, little Namek,” Piccolo said and bolted out of the room before Talon could respond.

Talon chuckled and said, “Well, at least he’s trying.”

“The more you piss him off, the more he’ll love you. You two have a pattern now.”

“I like him, Vegeta. I’m glad you didn’t mate with someone worthless. Do you think the Kami he merged with will resurface again?”

“I don’t know. I keep trying to guess when he thinks the opportune moment to destroy me would be, and I’m afraid. Because I know when I’ll be very vulnerable, the time it would most piss me off if Piccolo became…difficult. But Kami must know I can kill Piccolo, and him as a result, if he pushes me with regards to you, so that _shouldn’t_ be his play. I don’t know. And I hate not knowing.”

“Well, I do know that I need you to stop lazing around back there and really fuck me,” Talon said and kissed Vegeta over his shoulder.

“That I can do. I know I want to do that until my dick is exhausted.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next update on this one may be a couple weeks out: I'm having pretty major surgery next week and have to adult a lot to get ready, but I'm also not entirely sure how long I'll feel too crappy to write/edit. This one may be the last of my fics to resume as all my other ones my writing is pretty far ahead of where I'm posting so I just have to edit those to put them up, but this one, I've caught up with what I've written so instead of just needing to edit, I have to write and edit, eep! But I promise that unless 2020 really pulls out ALL the stops (because seriously, it's doing its best), I will return to finish this fic. I don't want to leave you hanging about how things shake out.


	12. Love and Nameks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back at last, feeling better by the day, and this one is almost finished! Thanks for sticking with me :)

Talon was still pregnant after eleven days, though considerably more stoic than Piccolo, and Vegeta agonized every minute that passed, hardly able to sleep for Talon’s restlessness combined with his own fear that something had gone terribly wrong. He bent all his non-fucking thoughts on his young’s chi, making sure there was no decline, no flutters, nothing but the steady, soft growth, and he was surprised how powerful they were, given Talon and Piccolo’s relative strengths. Then he felt the first thrum of a contraction and he wished desperately that he’d spent the time sleeping, knowing the exhausting trial that now laid before him.

Talon gave a low moan of suffering and Vegeta nearly wept as Talon whimpered, still asleep, “No more, Zarbon, please, gods, have mercy…” But Vegeta let him sleep, assuming that if his nightmares carried him through a few contractions, that might be worth it for the extra sleep. And they did, with Talon pleading more emphatically for Zarbon to spare him. Finally after about five contractions he came awake with a horrified shriek and shoved and clawed and kicked back at Vegeta pleading, “Not my _theadur_ , not that, not that, oh gods, just kill me.”

Vegeta said, “Talon, _minaiya,_ it’s me. It’s Vegeta. It was a terrible nightmare. You’re safe. He’s gone. He’ll never hurt you again. Shh…” He wrapped his arms around Talon and kissed along his shoulders.

Talon clutched at his arms, pulled them so he could see in the dawn light before weeping a little and holding them back against his chest. Talon said adamantly, “I never begged. Not while he had me. I never said anything. I didn’t. I wasn’t a coward.”

“There would be no shame if you had, Talon. There’s no words to describe what Zarbon was. If I could change only a single thing about my life, it would be leaving you where he could get you.”

Talon sobbed, “I didn’t beg, though. I didn’t. I always do in my nightmares, like all the begging I wanted to do spills out of me when I’m asleep. Oh gods, I keep thinking someday the nightmares will stop. I hadn’t had one in a long—“ Talon stopped mid-sentence to let out another tortured moan of suffering and Vegeta felt the strength of the contraction. He could feel internally that Talon’s labor was different, that his _minaiya_ might not labor as long as Piccolo, but that it might be more intense. “Fuck, Vegeta…I…I need to get up on all fours. I need you to fuck me until I come, that’s the only thing that will help.”

It took a certain mental finesse for Vegeta to get into a headspace to fuck his _minaiya_ who was obviously suffering. Talon’s back muscles cramped visibly as Vegeta started to thrust into him from behind, willing himself to stay hard through sheer devotion to Talon. With Piccolo, his preference for rough sex and the way he liked Vegeta to fuck him to exhaustion, meant fucking him right through the early stages of labor had been fairly natural and pretty fun. Having labor start with Talon believing Vegeta was Zarbon raping his _theadur_ made Vegeta wish there was some other way to comfort Talon through this phase.

But then Talon threw his head back and cried, “Fuck yes, baby, your cock is all that’s keeping me sane right now. Fuck me rough, Vegeta.”

Vegeta raised his eyebrows and wondered if Talon and Piccolo might be more compatible than he originally thought. Was he the only one in their love-square that didn’t want to get beaten to shit while fucking? But it was easy to oblige Talon’s request because Vegeta excelled at fucking Nameks rough—he’d had a lot of practice.

Talon pushed back against him hard, the contractions crashing one on top of another like waves in a storm. Talon panted, “Touch my prick, baby, I’m so close—“

Before Vegeta could get his hand on Talon, his tail squeezed around Talon’s rigid cock and brought him off like it had never been amputated, but had just been jacking Talon off for the past six years. Talon groaned and shuddered as Vegeta’s tail brushed back and forth over Talon’s stomach. His _theadur_ went off too, and he arched his back up so high Vegeta thought he would snap his spine and fold himself in half. Talon flattened his back as the orgasm’s clenching was immediately replaced by the tremors of another massive contraction. Vegeta squeezed Talon’s hips and kept at it, but it felt wetter than it ever had with Piccolo. Nameks produced a mucus to lubricate their eggs a day or two before labor, but this felt…runnier.

Vegeta looked down to briefly pull out and shrieked, “Oh shit!” and immediately mentally bellowed for Dende, Piccolo, and Bulma. Blood poured out of Talon’s _theadur._ Vegeta’s thighs were already splattered and Talon’s back end looked unfortunately similar to what he imagined it had looked like after Zarbon’s vile ministrations. “Talon, fuck, you’re bleeding. You’re bleeding a lot. Hold on, Dende’s on his way. Fuck!”

Talon said, his voice beginning to slur, “Vegeta? I…I’m so fucking tired. Can I rest?” He wobbled on his hands and knees and dropped clumsily to his left, resting so awkwardly Vegeta was sure he was dead.

“Talon! No! Talon! I just got you back!” Vegeta wept and lunged up to adjust his _minaiya’s_ position to make sure he had a clear airway. Vegeta checked his pulse. It was already weak and Talon didn’t wake when Vegeta patted his cheeks and shouted.

Dende landed and immediately laid his hands on Talon. Vegeta could feel the magic flowing out of the Kami-Sama, the effort he put into rebuilding Talon’s blood, to stanching the flow down to a more minor dribble, but Dende’s face contorted with concern, his mouth twisting into an uncharacteristic, furious scowl. Talon surged back to life with the next contraction. His eyes opened, but he was clearly disoriented, and screamed, “Get away from me! Don’t fucking touch me! Just fucking kill me! Please!”

Dende sprang away. Vegeta clutched Talon’s face in his hands, “ _Minaiya_? It’s Vegeta, it’s your baby, wake up, stay with me. Dende’s here. You lost a lot of blood. He’s helped some, but…” Vegeta stopped and turned to Dende as he said, “Do you know what’s happening?”

Piccolo burst into the room with Bulma, who rushed to Talon’s other side and cradled his head in her lap. Piccolo’s eyes raced around the room taking in all the blood. Vegeta couldn’t read his expression.

Dende ignored them both and said, “Talon, have you ever had any kind of internal trauma?”

Talon looked away and his face flushed with shame and defeat as he said, “Yes. Not in my _theadur_ …but everywhere else. Any place…a monster…could think to shove something and tear me apart.”

Dende’s scowl turned into a deep frown of compassion as his eyebrows crashed together in a sad little peak. “I’m so very sorry. Your womb has torn, likely from damage inflicted by your torturer on organs nearby. I can’t say for sure where, but I think there must be scarring on another organ that has adhered to your womb. We must hope for…an abbreviated…labor. I will have to save my strength to heal you in the event of another hemorrhage.” He squeezed Talon’s hand and said, “And I’m afraid…I’m afraid that it may well be safer to not have Vegeta provide any more…internal…relief. I’m so sorry, Talon.” He gave Talon a very deep Namekian bow.

He turned to Vegeta, still ignoring the other two. “No more laboring or sex in that position. If you two choose to try to continue with Namek mating, keeping him lying on his left side is probably best. Keep him drinking water. Keep the eggs separate, his contractions are more aggressive than Piccolo’s, which usually means shorter labor and I hope that’s the case.” He turned authoritatively to Bulma and said, “Type his blood, mine, and Piccolo’s—determine if we can give him some if necessary. Prep the healing pod in case I become too weak to keep regenerating his blood. At least I had a fair amount of practice with Vegeta, a silver lining of your heinous behavior, Piccolo.”

Piccolo said plaintively, “I didn’t do this!”

“That is comforting that you're not that depraved, Piccolo,” Dende said, surprising Vegeta with his vitriol. “You will help Vegeta so he doesn’t let the eggs touch. It is unlikely Vegeta will wear out, but you are his backup. And you’ll do anything else I tell you without question, do you understand me?”

Vegeta turned his widened eyes—his eyebrows were practically a part of his hairline—to his domineering mate to see how Piccolo would respond. Piccolo’s eyes were…wet. He said, “Yeah, of course, Dende. Anything.”

With his directions out of the way, Dende set to examining Talon’s _theadur,_ feeling his contractions, judging whether the eggs’ placement would be problematic. He took a huge breath afterward, briefly closing his eyes, and Vegeta realized he was meditating. Vegeta needed to do something extremely nice for Dende. Vegeta felt like the poor Guardian of Earth was spending most of his time dealing with the fallout of Vegeta’s sex life.

Dende’s eyes snapped open and he turned a wry smile to Vegeta. _That is how I feel too, Vegeta. Perhaps after this fiasco you could stop accruing mates?_ Dende’s voice said in his mind. Piccolo and Talon both snickered, obviously having heard Dende. Talon breathily shared with Bulma, who giggled.

Vegeta laughed and said, “I swear I’m at maximum capacity, Kami-Sama, and I will be your devoted servant whenever you require.”

Dende inclined his head at Vegeta with a little smirk. Dende returned his attention to Talon who struggled through another long contraction. “You can contact me telepathically at any point during your labor.” Dende moved to leave but stopped and added, staring into Talon’s eyes, “Afterwards, as well, if I may offer any counsel or…relief.”

Talon nodded, but couldn’t speak as he gritted his teeth through another contraction, Bulma screeching as he demonstrated the relative strength of humans and Nameks with his grip on her hand. He apologized and reached weakly for Vegeta, but Piccolo intercepted the hand. Piccolo said, “Manage the eggs, Vegeta, don’t just stand there!”

Vegeta did better with action, so being bossed around was something of a relief, rather than continuing in the purgatory of communicating. He moved Bulma so he could get in a good position to handle Talon’s monstrous belly. Bulma shifted to cradle Talon’s head more comfortably after running to get water for him and ice and a cloth to wipe his sweat. Piccolo held Talon’s hand and let Talon crush it, talking him gently through each horrible bout of suffering. Vegeta, to his horror, felt…a little jealous…that Piccolo seemed to be succoring his _minaiya_ more than Vegeta. But he flushed away the jealousy, knowing that this was part of what he signed up for in getting to have them both. That they would inevitably develop feelings for each other. Those feelings might one day be stronger than either felt toward Vegeta. Vegeta’s tail snaked around Talon’s blood-crusted thigh and squeezed tight.

Talon’s narrow build meant his eggs had nowhere to go but straight out in front of him and as his labor progressed, Vegeta eased them, contraction by contraction, into a stacked position, which meant Talon’s suffering increased greatly as the upper egg pushed hard on his ribcage and the lower one, pushed farther into his pelvis, which was not yet ready to accommodate the egg. Vegeta eyed Talon’s slender hips warily. Those hips he loved so well might now mean the death of his mate while trying to bring Vegeta’s offspring into the world.

Vegeta didn’t get to think about Talon’s pelvic girth long before Talon began hemorrhaging again. Dende caught it quickly so he mostly had to heal the rupture, not replace much blood, but afterwards he turned to Bulma, who was still cradling Talon’s head, and snapped, “Blood typing, Bulma! If you love him, do what is necessary! A pillow or Piccolo can hold his head just as well.” Dende’s face showed more concern than Vegeta wanted a god’s face to show when looking at his beloved.

Vegeta focused his mind on only speaking to Dende, _Dende?_

_Yes?_

_Is it that bad?_

_It’s not good, that’s for certain. The poor man, what horrible being did this to him?_

_One you knew—Zarbon. Can you save him? I’ll do anything. Please. Please don’t let the universe take him from me after I’ve just gotten him back. I’m begging you._

_I don’t control life and death in that way, Vegeta, or I would hear your prayer. But I will do everything within my power._

Dende left to rest again, following Bulma as she hurriedly asked him to come with her so she could get a blood sample.

Talon cursed through another contraction, but his eyes were open again and they met Vegeta’s. “Vegeta? Please…” he whispered.

Piccolo had moved to take Bulma’s spot under Talon’s head, but still held his hand. Piccolo watched Vegeta, his breathing was fast, and Vegeta felt strange relief to see how scared Piccolo was, that there was no secret wish for Talon to die. Piccolo loved Vegeta enough that he wouldn’t wish such grief on his mate, even if he was jealous. Vegeta laid facing Talon so he could keep his hands on Talon’s belly.

“Please what, _minaiya?_ What do you need, my heart?”

“Please don’t leave me,” Talon said, tears slipping out of his eyes and Vegeta realized Talon was delirious. He wasn’t in the bed giving birth, he was back on Cooler, trying to understand why Vegeta was treating him like garbage and calling him a whore.

Vegeta reached up to quickly caress his face before returning his hands to the constant task of egg management. He kissed Talon deeply and murmured back, “No, my joy, I won’t leave you. I’m right here. I’ll always be by your side.”

Piccolo surprised Vegeta more. He curled down and kissed Talon too and growled, “You’re not going anywhere either, Little Namek.”

Talon looked confused for a minute and then he came back to the birthing bed. “Vegeta, why aren’t you fucking me?”

“Do you remember the bleeding? You’re having complications—you’ll be fine—but we’re being deprived of that pleasure, such as it is.”

Piccolo cut in, “It only helps for a bit anyway. You’re past that phase, Talon. You’re almost to the turn.”

“The turn? I’m not ready, Piccolo, my insides hurt.”

Piccolo chuckled and stroked Talon’s head. “Nobody’s ready, but I promise your insides will hurt less once they aren’t being crushed by eggs and contractions.”

Talon’s body shook with each contraction now, and Vegeta knew the moment the true turn came because he could feel the lower egg suddenly shift like a dislocated bone being popped back into place. Talon felt it too and screamed as though it were an amended dislocation. Piccolo bent over and kissed Talon, then leaned and kissed Vegeta. He whispered, “You’re doing great.”

Vegeta smirked, thinking Piccolo was teasing him, since he never had to do any of the hard work of bringing their children into the world, but when he leaned away from Piccolo, his face was somber and…proud. Vegeta never would have predicted Talon’s labour strengthening his love for Piccolo, but his heart surged with love for Piccolo.

Vegeta turned his attention back to his _minaiya_ and braced himself to begin applying counter pressure to the egg as it tried to get through his love’s narrow hips. Then blood surged out of Talon again, Dende rushing into the room like he could smell the blood. This time it took longer and Talon passed out again, missing vital pushing contractions. Vegeta panicked—how would Talon push running on a depleted blood supply?

Dende finished, Talon woke in time to grunt through a pushing contraction. Dende looked ragged, exhausted, and they hadn't even birthed the first egg. Dende met Vegeta’s eyes and Vegeta understood that Dende was trying to pace himself, pace his magic, to see Talon through, but it was harder to do with the wild uncertainty of how badly and how often Talon would hemorrhage. Dende said wearily, “Bulma is still working on the blood, hoping she can make a synthetic substitute if neither Piccolo nor myself is a match.”

Vegeta glanced at the clock, they were only seventeen hours in, and Piccolo labored over forty-eight. Vegeta stomped out the panic and dread in his mind that were like embers in the dry grass of his mind: just one puff of wind and they would be wildfire.

Talon seemed to rally some once the egg was seated and Vegeta could offer some assistance, though he was wary of pushing too much for fear he cause pressure or strain on whatever Zarbon had broken inside Talon. Talon gasped, after several hours of pushing, “Help me up, Piccolo, I want to squat.”

Piccolo looked doubtfully at Vegeta. Together they changed his position and Vegeta held his breath through Talon’s growling push, waiting for blood to erupt out of his love. But it didn’t, so Vegeta and Piccolo relaxed some, but not much. Talon could push much more effectively squatting, but it made Vegeta’s job more difficult from a physics perspective because he couldn’t figure out how to place his hands until Piccolo reached around and placed his large hands on the sides of the upper egg.

“Does that work?” Piccolo asked, looking genuinely uncertain.

Vegeta was then free to help Talon move the lower egg so he kissed Piccolo soundly and nodded before kissing Talon’s cheek, not wanting to interrupt his frenzied breathing. “You guys aren’t going to start fucking while I’m pushing out a fucking huge Saiyan egg, right?” Talon grunted out after his next push.

Piccolo nipped Talon’s ear and purred, “We already _are_ fucking, Little Namek.”

Vegeta tried to hold in his laughter in, but he couldn’t. Talon chuckled and twisted his head to bite Piccolo over his shoulder. Piccolo nudged him a bit farther and kissed him deeply until the next contraction rippled through Talon’s lithe frame. Vegeta’s heart (and his cock, if he was being honest) nearly exploded to see that tender exchange between his two Namek mates. The release of some tension through Piccolo’s dry humor seemed to give Talon a little burst of strength and energy, so the egg progressed.

Twenty-seven hours in, Vegeta caught their first egg, less luminous because it was covered in blood-clotted mucus, but no less precious. Dende came in, ragged and bleary-eyed, but grinned sleepily when he saw the egg. Vegeta finally decided Dende _was_ smelling the fresh blood and his already great respect for Dende grew. Dende helped Vegeta clean it off.

Talon gasped, “Oh, Vegeta, here, can I hold it before the next one wrecks me?” Vegeta snuggled beside his _minaiya_ and they held their first egg together in a very brief respite from pain and blood and exhaustion. Dende quickly checked Talon and stumbled back off to wherever he was sleeping with one nostril open.

Vegeta’s brief bliss and joy and relief were immediately replaced by his more frequent companions, worry and panic and dread, as soon as the next contraction hit. The second egg never seemed to pop into place like the first, and Vegeta knew Talon’s hips were a narrow enough traverse that the egg needed to be situated properly in the best of cases, but in one where Talon might start bleeding out at any moment, it seemed even more imperative. 

Vegeta mentally consulted Dende. _The second egg isn't seated correctly. Should I…fix that?_

Sighing was apparently possible via telepathy as Dende sighed and the usually cool and collected Namek actually growled before he said, _Oh, fuck._

Vegeta laughed out loud and Talon and Piccolo stared at him. Maybe all the stress was transmogrifying into maniacal cackling. He wheezed out, “Dende…Dende…Dende said ‘fuck!’”

Vegeta felt better when his two Namek loves joined him and they all hooted with laughter, even through one of Talon’s contractions, so that Dende walked into a roomful of chortling madmen.

He gazed around in confusion, wide-eyed and open-mouthed. His eyes narrowed and he tried to suppress his grin. Vegeta assumed he had read their minds. He shook his head and said, “Talon, you’re having some very bad luck. We need to re-position your second egg. I believe it’s breach.”

“Breach?” three corners of their quadrangle said.

“Surely you all have noticed that one end of the egg is tapered and narrower, the other blunter and fatter? Most warm-blooded creatures that lay eggs have this shaping, though it is more dependent on pelvic bones than anything.”

Vegeta, Piccolo, and Talon all nodded so as not to appear idiots.

Dende rolled his eyes so hard they could almost hear it. “In any case…” Dende palpated Talon’s less gigantic stomach. “Yes, it’s as I feared. The blunt end of Talon’s egg is pointed down. Even in Nameks with wide hips this is problematic and dangerous, but in Talon? With his slender frame? It’s catastrophic.”

Vegeta willed himself not to cry. Talon said drily, “Well of course it is. Fuck all,” and groaned through another contraction, folding Piccolo’s hand in half as he clutched it. Piccolo bit his lip and tried not to scream with the pain of having his hand broken. Vegeta knew he could regenerate such a minor injury fairly easily, but that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt.

Dende continued as Talon’s body gave him a brief reprieve, “We have two non-ideal options. Vegeta and I can try to turn the egg, which would be painful and dangerous even without a ruptured womb, so I shudder to think how you will suffer. Unfortunately, our other option is to…dear Lord of Lords…I will cut you open while Piccolo and Vegeta hold you down, remove the egg, and heal you afterwards…as much as I can. I’m exhausted. The healing pod should be able to finish what I can’t. The decision, the terrible decision, is yours, Talon.”

“Which do you think is _less_ likely to kill me? Do that one,” Talon said glibly. Vegeta believed that he had endured Zarbon’s torture without begging: Talon’s nerves were made of Saiyan strength steel. He survived another contraction and said, “Just fucking pick. No point in dragging this out.”

Dende looked between all three and took a shaky breath. “Let’s cut it out. Vegeta, get between his thighs and hold a leg under each arm. Piccolo, put him in a full nelson, but I’ll have you lay underneath him and wrap your legs around his hips, that will keep his airway more open than a typical full nelson. Talon, your job is to survive. It will take me probably five minutes. How long did Zarbon have you?”

Talon’s eyes grew wide, but hardened suddenly. His voice was completely flat as he said, “Three days.”

“Well then, this will be nothing to you. As soon as the egg is out, I’ll place my hands on either side of you and heal as far as I can. I will undoubtedly pass out. Then, Vegeta, you must carry him to the healing pod.”

Talon gritted his teeth and hissed as a contraction gripped him, “Just fucking cut me open, Dende!”

“I need to get a scalpel from Bulma. Piccolo get him some water. Vegeta, give him some love, this man has bled a _lot_ so you could have fun in bed.”

Talon’s wheezy laughter while he survived a contraction kept Vegeta from defending himself. Talon weakly wrapped his arms around Vegeta as Vegeta kissed him, caressing his jaw and neck. Vegeta whispered, “I’m so sorry, _minaiya_ , I’m sorry I’ve done this to you.”

“It’s fine, Vegeta. I’ll be fine. Mammoth Namek won’t let me die because he doesn’t want to deal with your moping,” Talon said weakly, trying to keep his smirk subdued.

“Grieving isn’t moping!” Vegeta protested. Talon gave Vegeta his lopsided smile and Vegeta burst into tears, afraid that it might be the very last time his _minaiya_ turned that mouthwatering, love-inducing, prick-hardening smile on Vegeta.

Talon craned his head back and said, “Piccolo, you broke Vegeta.”

“You broke him, Talon. This is your fault. Fix it,” Piccolo said and bent to kiss Talon’s nose with a chuckle.

“He’s mostly yours, you fix him,” Talon said, more breathy, groaning laughter coming along with a contraction. 

Vegeta got ahold of himself while his mates made fun of him, even managed to laugh a little himself. Talon tugged at Vegeta weakly, so he bent over and kissed Talon more, let his hand trail down onto his cock. Talon chortled and said, “I’ve never known you to be an optimist, Vegeta.”

“With cocks he is,” Piccolo rumbled and leaned to kiss Vegeta’s jawline. Talon kissed Vegeta a little more too, pausing to growl his way through a contraction.

“We’re not having a three-way with our hemorrhaging mate waiting to be cut open,” Vegeta said testily as Piccolo held Talon’s hand in his and started stroking Vegeta.

Talon survived the contraction and said breathily, “Then why are you stroking my dick, _atheanna_?”

Piccolo startled upon hearing the word. Vegeta watched Piccolo out of the corner of his eye as it became clear that Nail’s consciousness must have heard this word more clearly when it was directed at Vegeta than it did directed at Bulma. Piccolo now knew what the word meant…the significance of it. Vegeta had explained _“minaiya”_ to Piccolo and Piccolo had gone to Dende, feeling a surge of rage and jealousy. Vegeta’s tail had yet to touch Piccolo, and it had not gone unnoticed by Piccolo, but Vegeta couldn’t force it. Didn’t want to force it. He was sick of forced things.

Piccolo looked down at Talon and said in small voice, “Um, Talon?”

“Yeah, big guy?” Talon said, his eyes sliding shut heavily with pain.

“Will…um…if…um…”

“Piccolo, I’m fucking getting ripped to shreds by a contraction right now, spit it the fuck out!”

“Will I be your _atheanna_ too if I fuck your _theadur_?” Piccolo said, and Vegeta almost startled it was so…hopeful…sounding.

Since Talon was often teasing and playful, Vegeta turned to see if Talon would goad Piccolo. Instead Talon looked touched and brushed his free hands’ fingers over Piccolo’s cheek and said, “You already are my _atheanna,_ Piccolo.”

Piccolo’s eyes came together in a little scared peak and he breathed, “I am?”

“You’ve touched me, I love you, and you’re Vegeta’s mate, his husband, I love that you make him happy, that you take care of him,” Talon said before another contraction took his breath away and he curled up.

Vegeta snapped, “Don’t push, _minaiya._ You can’t. You’ll hemorrhage again.”

Dende finally returned, Bulma on his heels with what looked like a transfusion kit. She shouted, “Piccolo, you’re a match! So is it okay if I hook you up and if he doesn’t need it, I’ll just take it back out?”

Piccolo held out his arm in reply and said, “Now, quickly, then you’re gonna want to leave. This is going to be fucking terrible.”

“No! You all think I’m such a fucking pussy just because I have one! I’m staying! He’s my mate too, you fucking misogynist, alien assholes! I’m going to comfort Talon and I’m going to help Dende, and I’m going to keep Vegeta from becoming a baby and letting go, and I’m going to tell you to shut the fuck up if necessary, Piccolo!”

All four men gaped at her. She cleaned Piccolo’s arms, jabbed him, got the transfusion equipment ready to go, and barked, “Well? My mate is in pain, you shitheads, get that fucking egg out of him!”

All three men assumed their decided upon positions and Bulma dropped to her knees beside Talon’s head and kissed him. She whispered, “I’m right here, cutie. Right here.”

“I love you, _atheannas_ ,” Talon said, clearly fading.

Vegeta hoped that Talon would pass out immediately from pain. He situated himself and got a death grip on Talon’s thighs, a little wistful that normally this position meant he was about to have a very good time, but mostly terrified for his _minaiya_ , and not wanting him to suffer more than he already had for Vegeta.

Dende made the incision quickly and Piccolo, at the last moment before the scalpel hit, pushed the side of his hand into Talon’s mouth. Talon bit down hard enough that Vegeta wondered if he would eat a little Namek in a more literal sense. Vegeta used all his monstrous stubbornness for good and kept himself from ripping Dende apart for hurting Talon, and then slapping Talon’s sharp teeth away from his husband’s hand. Vegeta shook his urge to relieve both his mates’ suffering was so strong. Bulma said, “Vegeta, eyes on me, now, you ridiculous alien asshole.” 

Vegeta met her beautiful turquoise eyes and he calmed as she gave him the look that he thought of as her Saiyan Death Spell. Kakarot’s woman had one too. It was infuriating that he could defeat nearly any being in the universe but that woman pursing her lips and glaring made him want to tuck his tail between his legs and roll over onto his back like a submissive cur. He nodded his understanding to her.

Dende’s small, adept hands slid inside Vegeta’s mate, causing another nauseating wave of bestial rage to rip through him, but a moment later it was replaced by ferocious love for Dende for bringing his other child into the world. Dende handed the egg to Bulma. Talon's color was terrible, moving from dull to faded green. Vegeta could feel Piccolo’s mind spiraling into terror.

Dende took a deep breath and placed his hands on Talon’s abdomen and immediately the incision began to mend. Talon’s color improved as Dende’s dulled. Vegeta said firmly, “Enough, Dende. I’ll take him to the healing pod. You too, if necessary.”

Dende didn’t stop. Vegeta felt the surge of power that Dende summoned, that he seemed to draw from the Earth itself, and Vegeta watched the diminutive Namek in awe. He truly was a god, not just some talented mage who had been promoted to a new job. It was impressive to watch as Talon returned to his normal, sassy, healthy self, his stomach contracting and shrinking back to a flat, lithe, washboard waist. As his strength returned, Talon reached up and pulled Dende’s head toward him, and kissed his forehead. He murmured something in Namekian, and Dende removed his hands and bowed. 

Dende turned on Vegeta and said, his voice tired but brooking no argument, “Do not touch him for two weeks. And no more eggs for a while, Vegeta! Don’t you know about condoms?”

Piccolo and Talon both groaned and said, in unison, “Fuck, no, we’re not doing that.”

Dende turned back to the Nameks and said, “You should both be infertile well through your infants' first years, but if you start to feel…hungry…your infertility has ended. Make intelligent decisions! Don’t impregnate each other either!” He took a deep breath and looked at Bulma and slumped, “Are _you_ pregnant too?”

She shrugged and said, “Too early to tell. I, at least, can just go to a regular hospital.”

“And when your green baby with antennae, or your baby with a tail comes out of you, how do you think your doctors will respond, Bulma? Do you think when your baby can break their finger bones with its little grip, they won’t drop it? Have sense. You got lucky with Trunks that he had no tail and looks very human. He doesn’t have the gravity-defying hair of most Saiyans, or the same eye structure. ChiChi bore Gohan and Goten at home, with only Goku or Gohan for help, and it’s just as well. They are not human. They pass, but only just. Anyone who spends more than a few minutes around Vegeta knows that he’s like some kind of wild animal in a vaguely human form! Lord of Lords, no wonder Kami stayed out of personal connections to any of you, you’re a taxing bunch with all your complications!”

Bulma’s phone buzzed and she turned to Piccolo and Vegeta and said, “Mom texted—she just heard a crack from one of the eggs!”


	13. The Tail End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a very small moment where male/hermaphrodite lactation is a thing. If you are squicked, sorry. It is pretty obvious when it's coming and it's really just like two lines, not a loving in-depth description or a major plot thing which is why I didn't tag it as such. This story (or even this chapter) is not about man-milk, lol.

Vegeta’s eyes snapped to Piccolo’s. Piccolo’s face vacillated between joy and terror. Vegeta leaned and gave Talon a deep kiss and squeezed his hand. He said, “Are you okay, _minaiya_? I’ll be back once they’ve hatched.”

Talon cuddled into Bulma’s arms more. He mumbled, “Very tired, go way, Captain. Bulma, you’ll stay, right?”

“Yeah, cutie, ChiChi took Trunksy so he’s having fun with Uncle Gohan. I’ll stay as long as you want,” Bulma said, but Talon was already asleep. Piccolo kissed his forehead, and Bulma’s mouth, then hooked his fingers with Vegeta’s.

Vegeta rinsed all the blood off himself and pulled on a pair of shorts. They hurried toward the nursery, passing Dende sprawled asleep on a couch in the den nearby. Vegeta squeezed Piccolo’s hand and said, “I can’t believe we’re about to be fathers, my demon. It seems like ages ago that I knocked you up.”

Piccolo chuckled. Vegeta noticed Piccolo’s hand kept going to his pocket, over and over. It was bizarre. Piccolo rarely carried anything with him. Vegeta hoped his husband wasn’t distressed about some aspect of Talon’s labor and delivery. Piccolo and Talon finally seemed to have found a way to love each other, and that made Vegeta so happy he didn’t even want to say anything for fear he ruined it.

Piccolo looked at Vegeta and said, as he’d heard Vegeta’s thoughts, “Do you think Talon meant it?”

“Meant what?”

“That I was…was his _atheanna_ too?” Piccolo’s face was so open and vulnerable. It still surprised Vegeta that his love could be so murderous and so fragile.

“Yes, he did. He would never say something like that if he didn’t mean it.”

“Even if he thought he was going to die and it wouldn’t matter?” Piccolo asked quietly, his eyebrows squished together with worry.

“Not even then. Talon doesn’t really do dishonesty or soft-pedaling, Piccolo, not even under duress. He loves you, in his way, just as you love him in your way. It doesn’t have to be the way you love me or the way he loves me,” Vegeta said. They’d reached the nursery.

Bunny said, “Oh! There you boys are! I’m so glad that it worked out with Talon’s pregnancy. Goodness, though, you are all going to be very busy with Trunksy and four infants. It’s just as well there’s four of you. Is Bulma taking care of Talon or should I go check on him?”

“She’s with him. Thank you for watching the eggs, Bunny,” Piccolo said.

Bunny winked and said, “Anything for my big, strapping boys. I’ll leave you two in peace, but when Gramma Bunny is allowed, I would love to see my new grandbabies.”

They were about to say more when another loud crack resounded. She left with a wave. Piccolo wrapped his arm around Vegeta’s shoulders and pulled him tight against his side. “I'm so excited, Vegeta! What are we going to name them?”

“Let’s meet them first, my demon,” Vegeta said with a chuckle.

The first tiny green finger, tipped with a minuscule claw, poked out of a crack. Piccolo’s arm slipped off Vegeta and he assumed that Piccolo was going to move to help their baby out of its egg. Vegeta’s Saiyan pride compelled him to at least give their offspring a chance to prove its self-sufficiency. He turned to tell Piccolo to wait, but froze.

Piccolo’s eyes terrified Vegeta, because they were _not_ Piccolo’s eyes. Dende’s words about Kami came back to him. The way Kami resented Vegeta. Vegeta’s eyes darted to his eggs. Surely Kami wouldn’t kill Piccolo’s young? Piccolo/Kami stepped toward Vegeta, glowering down at him.

“Maybe _we_ won’t name them at all. Even though they’re an abomination, I can raise them on my own,” a voice that was not Piccolo’s said, coming out of his demon’s mouth. 

Tears filled Vegeta’s eyes, and before he could react, Piccolo’s hand darted around him. Vegeta lunged to protect the eggs, but Piccolo/Kami didn’t go for the eggs. Fiery pain tore up Vegeta’s spine as Kami seized Vegeta’s tail right at the base, pulling with enough force to cause crippling pain, but not yet tearing it off.

Kami said, “You fucker, you helped him bury me, and I’m done riding in the back seat. This, your tail, he needs to feel how it hates him—“

“My tail doesn’t _hate_ Piccolo! It’s just getting to—fuck!”

Kami dug his claws into it, Vegeta felt them break skin, he cringed and tried to maintain his strength. He forgot what a weakness his tail could be. He pleaded, “Piccolo! I know you're there! Fight this fucker! Don’t let him take this away from you! Piccolo!” Vegeta screamed as Kami jerked on his tail again. He almost fell, which surely would have at least started the process of Kami removing his tail.

“Not this time, you filthy Saiyan, no sappy memories of love will save you this time. I’m going to—“

“What the fuck are you doing to him, Piccolo!” Bulma’s voice shrieked.

“Oh, Bulma, Piccolo’s consciousness seems to have developed a little taste for you too. But you might not want to see this, it will probably get bloody. Maybe you could bring that little, naïve squirt who calls himself ‘Kami’ to me?”

Bulma blinked, her mouth falling open. Her eyes flitted to the eggs and back. She said, “Piccolo? You sound weird. Did Vegeta say it was okay to touch his tail?” She put her hands on her hips. “Not cool, Piccolo, you said you weren’t going to do any more of this shit.”

Vegeta shouted, “Go, Bulma, get out of he—“

Kami backhanded Vegeta so hard and so suddenly, it almost sent him reeling, but he caught himself, kept his tail attached. The thought of losing it again made him ill.

“What the _fuck_ , Piccolo!?” Bulma cried.

Vegeta tried again, “Run away, he’s not—“

Another vicious backhand. Vegeta couldn’t get his defenses up with the furious pain and the self-preservationist urge to keep his tail intact. 

Something seemed to click for Bulma and she turned to flee. Kami seized her by the hair without releasing Vegeta’s tail. She screamed and fell, screeching more as he held her up by her hair. “Not so fast, little human, I think I’ll just keep you right here. Three’s usually a crowd, but it seems you two don’t think so. Maybe I’ll have you help me tear it off him, little human, watch him writhe a little before I end him. Because once he’s dead, Piccolo will die, and I can have his body for my own. And this young, strapping body has _desires_.”

Bulma staggered back to her feet. She spit in Kami’s face. Vegeta loved her fearlessness, loved it even when it was completely idiotic. “Stop being a jerk! Piccolo! I know you’re in there! Come on out or you’re never getting pegged again!” Bulma shouted and Vegeta couldn’t help his laughter.

That earned a vicious, painful squeeze on his tail. His mind whirled, trying to find a solution, trying to figure out how to call his demon back to him. More cracks and little growls came from his eggs. Vegeta’s fear for his babies was all-consuming that it burned away even his pride as a protector, his ego as a Saiyan.

Mentally he screamed, _Dende! Talon! Kami is here! Kami is back! Help!_

Kami couldn’t tear Vegeta’s tail off one-handed because Vegeta was too fast. Every time he yanked, Vegeta moved his body. Without his other hand, there was no way Kami could do it. Kami was resourceful though and began using the claw of his forefinger to saw through the flesh. It was excruciating on top of the violation he felt at having someone other than his _minaiya,_ or even his husband, touch him this way.

Vegeta bit out, between screams, “Bulma, if you get away, you have to take the eggs, please!”

“If I get away, I’m kicking this green motherfucker’s ass until Piccolo comes back to us!” Bulma stomped his foot savagely when he was focused on Vegeta.

Kami rounded on her with a growl and Vegeta started forming a chi blast, trying to get his power up enough to fight, no matter what happened to his tail. Better tailless with his babies than dead with Kami raising his young.

“Let go of my mate’s tail, you fucker!” Talon growled from the doorway. Dende was behind him, his eyes dark and more terrifying than Vegeta had ever seen them.

“Ah, the scrawny little one that I thought might solve my problems after I showed Vegeta a little tough love thanks to Piccolo’s inability to hold his liquor. You should have taken him away, what’s your name again? I don’t pay attention to trivial things.”

“You don’t need to know my name to let go of my mates or I will fuck you up! You may have Piccolo’s body, but I know he’s in there. He won’t let you control the whole ship. You’re weak without him, even if you have his body.” Talon began looking for an opening, dropping into fighting stance. Vegeta forgot sometimes that Talon was a warrior, even if he didn’t like being one.

Kami tried to bash Bulma’s head into Vegeta’s so he could focus on Talon, but Vegeta dodged and managed to deliver a devastating blow to Kami’s wrist. His hold on Bulma’s hair loosened and she tore free. Talon yanked her out of the room even as she screeched and screamed to be allowed to kick Kami’s ass.

“Now that I have both hands free, might as well get this out of the way,” Kami hissed. He braced one hand on Vegeta’s spine, and began to push Vegeta’s body away from the viselike grip on his tail.

Talon launched onto his back and bit him hard. Talon held Kami in a half-nelson.

“Piccolo, fucking fight him! Come back to me, my demon!” Vegeta saw a flicker in Kami’s dark eyes. “My tail loves you too, Piccolo, it’s just adjusting! Saiyan tails aren’t used to loving more than one! It’s just getting to know you! Come back to me, my demon! My love, my husband! Come back to me, be my _minaiya!_ Talon’s _atheanna!_ Bulma’s husband!”

Talon continued choking Kami out while he whispered, “Piccolo, I know you’re in there, mammoth Namek. I know you want to fuck my _theadur_. You have to fight this fucker, put him down for good. You’re mine. I want you back, but as yourself. Please, Piccolo! Don’t leave me!”

Vegeta saw the internal struggle through the shifting, swirling window of Piccolo’s eyes. Bulma pleaded for Piccolo too so all three of them were trying to call back Piccolo. An authoritative, powerful voice began speaking in a language Vegeta only vaguely recognized as Namekian from the few times Talon had spoken it.

Vegeta’s eyes widened to see Dende standing between Kami and his eggs. Dende’s hands were spread wide, glowing brightly, his eyes closed as he faced the ceiling, and he chanted.

Kami hissed out what Vegeta assumed was a screed of curses. Dende’s head dropped back down and his eyes were dark and merciless, the pupils huge and full of fire. Dende roared, “You shame Namekians, all Namekians, all Guardians, with what you’ve already done. I will cast you out if it destroys me.”

The flicker became a full shift and Piccolo pushed Kami down and said, “Not if I fucking kill him first. Stay down you wrinkly motherfucker!” He released Vegeta’s tail, kissed Talon’s temple.

Only a moment later he threw Talon to the floor and lunged for Vegeta’s tail again. Vegeta booted him in the face, wary of hurting the body of his love. “Come back, my demon!”

“I cast you _out_!” Dende’s strange godly voice boomed.

Piccolo’s whole body shivered and seemed to pull apart like taffy and for a blink, Vegeta saw Kami’s elderly body twist out from Piccolo’s side. The combined voices of Piccolo and Kami wailed. Another warping and pulling of Piccolo’s body and there were three of him, flickering and overlapping like a buggy hologram: Nail had joined the fray.

Dende’s breath caught and he pleaded, “Help Piccolo, Nail! I know you can! Help him!”

The triple Namek that slipped and shifted before Vegeta’s eyes made an unearthly noise. Vegeta watched in awe as Nail and Piccolo burned Kami away. Kami’s flickering visage screamed and turned darker and darker until he blackened, became ash, and crumbled.

Piccolo, whole and singular, fell on the floor and heaved, vomiting up black clots of slime. Vegeta dropped to his knees beside his husband and rubbed his back, pressed his face into Piccolo’s neck, breathed deep of his smell. He would have bitten Piccolo’s mating mark if Piccolo wasn't so violently ill. His desire to reassert his claim was almost overwhelming.

Piccolo retched a few more times and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He sat back on his haunches and Vegeta incinerated the mess on the floor, watching Piccolo’s face for any last vestiges of Kami.

Dende knocked him on his back, flying into a hug and screaming, “Nail!”

Piccolo laughed and said, “I’m Piccolo, Dende, but yeah, he’s glad to see you, to give you a hug.” Piccolo squeezed Dende tightly and Piccolo’s three mates waited for the Guardian of Earth to get off him.

Dende stood and said, “I’m so relieved that you were able to fight him with Nail’s help. I’ve been unable to feel Nail in you since you merged with Kami and it was upsetting. I knew he was there, but he was…trapped. I feared he’d be lost forever.”

“Nah, Nail’s stubborn as fuck, he’s been around the edges this whole horrible year. Gods, I didn’t realize how much Kami was fucking me up. I feel so much better. It was like I could push him down, but it was so tiring. I think the birth weakened me enough that he could break through. Thank you all. Especially you, Vegeta. I know you could have just murdered me…I’m, um…” Piccolo’s eyes filled and he choked out, “I’m really sorry about your tail…”

Vegeta wrapped himself around Piccolo tightly, yanking him down for a kiss and clutching desperately at him. Vegeta’s love for Piccolo exploded in his chest. The fear he’d felt when Kami surfaced and the terror that his husband and mate might’ve been subsumed by the vindictive former god forever, clarified for Vegeta exactly how much he loved Piccolo, even if he loved Talon and Bulma too.

Piccolo gasped, and Vegeta pulled back to look in his eyes, afraid he’d hurt Piccolo with his zeal. Vegeta said, “Are you alright, my demon?”

Piccolo’s eyes looked down, so Vegeta followed his gaze. Vegeta’s tail wrapped tightly around Piccolo’s bare arm, the tip flicking back and forth happily on his powerful shoulder. Vegeta smiled and said, “See, I told you,” and kissed Piccolo again.

Talon shoved Vegeta out of the way and kissed Piccolo too, only to be supplanted by Bulma. Piccolo looked so surprised by each, that Vegeta couldn’t help but laugh. Vegeta’s tail slinked over and caressed Bulma’s cheek, snuck into her V-neck shirt, and slipped under her breast, tried to coil around it.

“Vegeta!”

“I’m sorry! I can’t help it!” Vegeta cried, holding up his hands in surrender.

Talon pushed his face into Bulma’s cleavage and Vegeta’s tail and murmured into the fur, “Stop being naughty!”

It reluctantly pulled out of the shirt and pulled Piccolo against him again. Piccolo’s eyes filled with tears but he blinked them away and smiled.

Talon said, “Come on, Bulma, I’m even more exhausted now. Come put me to bed.”

“Of course, cutie, you poor thing,” she said and led Talon away.

Dende smiled up at Piccolo, his eyes moving eventually to Vegeta. “Would you like me to heal your tail, Vegeta?”

“No, Dende, you’ve done so much already today. Thank you for everything. Go rest.”

Dende nodded wearily but smiled as he said to Piccolo, “I’m very glad to see you back to your old self. Nail back in the position he deserves after you merged with him. I hope I can expect better behavior?”

“I was an asshole before I merged with Kami, Dende, but I at least _knew_ I was an asshole. I’ll do better. I thought I had him down. Thank you for doing what you did, for helping me expel him. For calling Nail to help me. He loves you, little brother.”

Dende nodded and left with a big smile.

A loud, angry snarl made Vegeta’s head snap back to their eggs. His tail squeezed tighter on Piccolo’s arm. Two little, green, clawed hands wedged out of the crack at the top of one of their eggs. With another growl and hiss, a whole side of the shell dropped away, giving them the first glimpse of their first born child.

Vegeta tucked in tighter against Piccolo and breathed, “Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit!”

“Take a deep breath, Vegeta,” Piccolo said and bent to kiss Vegeta.

“I’m a shitty father and now I’m going to have _five_ fucking children,” Vegeta said, panic rising in his chest.

“Vegeta, you have three mates, we won’t let you suck, okay?”

Vegeta wanted to laugh, but he couldn’t. He was too afraid of letting down his young. Letting down his mates. The baby unfurled enough they could finally see its face. It angrily kicked away from the remaining shell.

Vegeta stepped forward like an automaton and picked up his child, glancing between its legs to find it was a hermaphrodite like Piccolo. He began rooting around on Vegeta’s chest, his tiny green nose snuffling along Vegeta’s pec.

Instinct alone compelled Vegeta to press the infant to his nipple. Piccolo ran a finger along their child’s side. It squirmed under his touch, still sucking hard at Vegeta. The strangest tingling sensation spread through his chest and he heard the moment when the baby went from simply sucking to swallowing. His eyes slid closed as he nursed and he curled tightly against Vegeta. The first Saimekian baby fell asleep easily against his father. He was slightly smaller than the average human baby, but his power already staggered Vegeta. He had a crest of black hair and a sleek black tail, but otherwise was the spitting image of Piccolo, right down to his little scowl. Though Vegeta laughed, realizing the poor child inherited a pretty serious scowl from both sides.

“He looks just like you,” they said, simultaneously. And laughed.

Vegeta rose up on his toes to kiss Piccolo and murmured, “He’s _green_ , my demon.”

“Racist,” Piccolo whispered back, grinning, and kissed him deeper. Piccolo cupped their baby’s naked bum in his hand with Vegeta’s. “Should we help the other one? There’s still just the one crack, and it’s not growling.”

“Give them a minute, Piccolo, good gods, it’s not a race.”

“Hey, um…Can I have a turn?” Piccolo asked and gestured at the milk wetting his shirt.

“Oh shit! Of course, sorry. It felt oddly…natural…to do that.”

“I didn’t think you’d be able to nurse, but I’m glad. It’ll be easier this way, especially once the other two hatch,” Piccolo said and held both his hands out for their baby. He looked even tinier in Piccolo’s gigantic hands and he growled fiercely, but didn’t open his eyes. He mouthed everywhere, trying to find a nipple, and swung his head around with another snarl.

Piccolo moved the baby carefully to his pec. It latched hard and Piccolo cried out, “Hey, little guy! Easy! Gods, you are a Saiyan, aren’t you?”

Vegeta hummed happily. He loved seeing Piccolo with their infant. It gave him such satisfaction. He wrapped his arm around Piccolo’s waist and leaned into his demon. Into his strength and love and heat.

They moved to the couch they’d put in the nursery and waited for their second baby to enter the world. They heard little cracks, but while their first child seemed intent on announcing his presence, their second seemed to prefer a stealth entrance to the world. Small pieces fell away from the egg until a little peach hand emerged. Then a little nose, sniffing through the small hole, checking for threats. They heard the second baby's first squeaking noise.

It pushed its face against the small opening and a larger chuck of shell fell away. The second baby had a shorter mop of black hair and a less defined widow’s peak, with two soft little antennae. It turned its eyes on Vegeta and made a noise remarkably like an angry cat. He and Piccolo both chuckled. Vegeta stepped forward and met his second baby’s gaze for the first time. It growled at him and punched its other hand through the egg, both hands reaching up for Vegeta, opening and closing as it hissed and snarled.

Once it got its arms and upper body out, it got really angry, making a noise that was a cross between a yowl and a bark, then shattered its shell with chi. Vegeta scooped it up, finding that his feisty second child was female. She launched herself against his chest, and clamped down hard on his nipple.

He caught her in his hands and adjusted her so she didn’t tear it off in her hunger. He went back to the couch and introduced her to Piccolo. After he’d nursed her a bit, Piccolo wanted to switch, earning snarls and yowls from both of them. Vegeta nudged Piccolo and said, “I didn’t know you were going to have kittens.”

Piccolo kissed him as he situated their daughter, who had quite a set of lungs on her. They didn’t cry like human infants, just snarling, growling, yowling, and a barking noise more like a seal than a dog. Piccolo couldn’t stop laughing about it as he said, “It is not my fault that our babies sound like pissed off sea lions. That is the most Saiyan thing ever.”

Vegeta smirked. “What should we name them?”

“Shit. I don’t know. Naming a little person seems…permanent.”

“That is the idea. We could just name them Vegeta and Piccolo.”

“Do you know how fucking confusing that will be?”

“Language, my demon, there are young ears…” Vegeta said, hoping to get a rise out of Piccolo.

But Piccolo was on to him. “Oh? Should I be speaking Namekian?”

Vegeta laughed, but then he said more seriously, “What if…what if we name the green one Nail?”

“Hey, yeah, that’s a great idea, Vegeta!”

“You don’t have to sound _that_ startled that I had a good idea.”

Piccolo consoled him with a little chortling kiss. He said, “What if we name our baby girl, Dala? For Dende and Talon and Bulma, all rolled into one?”

“Yes, I like that, my demon. Nail and Dala, our two sea lions,” Vegeta said, feeling a little smug about how perfect their children were. “Should we go introduce Bulma and Talon to their children? Trunks will be so excited when he comes home tomorrow.”

Piccolo swallowed hard. His hand went to his pocket again. He looked up, stared into Vegeta’s eyes. He looked so scared Vegeta was about to say something when Piccolo said, “Um, yeah, just…just a second though…” His voice shook.

He readjusted Dala and slipped off the couch, onto his knees in front of Vegeta. His hand went to his pocket again and emerged with something clenched tightly in his hand. He took a deep breath and said, “Look, I know you find Earth stuff stupid, but I’m…I’m pretty much an Earthling. And…I just…would you…would you marry me? Like Earthlings? I’m going to ask Bulma and Talon, too, but…I can’t live without you, Vegeta. After what I did, after I…ruined…our mating mark, I realized I wanted something to mark the start of our new life together. The start of me not fucking up. Which I hope will be easier without Kami on board. But I have no illusions. I want to be a good husband to you, Vegeta.”

He unfurled his fist and set a wide platinum band on Vegeta’s knee. A diamond was set flush down in the silver metal and one side of the diamond was framed by the engraved sigil of HouseVegeta and on the other Piccolo’s Demon King crest. Vegeta’s heart twisted in his chest at the gesture. He remembered the bizarre proposal he’d made Piccolo at the Briefs’ mountain retreat. He felt like a shit for not recalling that a ring was part of Earth marriage. He wished he had thought to do this.

“I’m already your husband, my demon. In my soul,” Vegeta said, staring into Piccolo’s eyes.

“I know, Vegeta, but…still,” Piccolo said, waiting, his energy thrumming and nervous.

“Yes. I’m yours, always.” He bent and kissed Piccolo, earning a squawk of displeasure from Nail.

Piccolo slid the ring on to Vegeta’s finger and said, “I know jewelry’s not really your thing, so it’s fine if—“

“I love it. I’ll have to take it off to train, of course, but otherwise, I’ll wear it until death,” he whispered and kissed Piccolo more.

Piccolo’s eyes were glassy and he said, “Okay. Now I’m ready to go introduce our babies to our other mates.”

They diapered their growling, angry babies and wrapped them in little blankets. Vegeta carried Nail and Piccolo took Dala. Both nursed themselves to sleep with a few grunts and snarls. Vegeta took his demon’s hand and crept to see if Talon and Bulma were asleep. They popped their heads into Talon’s bedroom.

Vegeta stood a moment, gazing at his other loves, curled together in bed, Bulma spooning Talon, who looked so peaceful. Bulma cracked an eye and sat up, rubbing her eyes. She beckoned them in, but Vegeta didn’t want to wake Talon. He shook his head. She rolled her eyes.

Bulma gave Vegeta no choice, gently kissing Talon’s shoulders until he stirred to life. “Mmm? Bulma? You okay?”

“The babies hatched, cutie, you told me to wake you,” she whispered in his ear.

Talon sat up stretching. He yawned and his face shifted into his easy, love-inducing half-smile. “Hey, look you two proud papas, huh? Come on in, you two, I want to see them.”

Piccolo and Vegeta sat on the edge of the bed. Piccolo gently passed Dala to Talon and Vegeta passed Nail to Bulma, and introduced them. Neither baby woke, but both made more animal noises and Bulma covered her mouth with her hand, stifling a giggle.

She whispered, “Oh my gods, you can tell their Vegeta’s, listen to how they sound!”

Piccolo smirked and murmured, “I know, isn’t it adorable?!”

Talon kissed Vegeta and breathed, “You did good, baby. You make nice Namek babies.” He leaned across Vegeta to kiss Piccolo too, and said, “You too, _atheanna_ , but look at you, of course you made perfect Namek babies.”

Vegeta snorted when Piccolo blushed. Vegeta kissed all his loves and said, “You both should get more sleep.”

“Vegeta, you’ve been awake as long as I have, probably longer with all your fretting. We’ll move to the big bedroom, put the babies in their bassinets, and all go to sleep.”

“I don’t want you two to have to wake up when they have to nurse.”

“Vegeta, don’t fucking argue with me, I just pushed an egg out and let someone cut me open, and then helped you exorcise an actual demon from our mate. Just come cuddle and sleep, you impossible fucking Saiyan. Gods, Piccolo, haven’t you kept his training up at all? I put a lot of work into house-breaking him,” Talon said and gave Piccolo a little peck on the cheek.

“You call that house-breaking? He was feral when I got him, Talon, I blame you,” Piccolo said, kissing Talon’s mouth.

Vegeta, despite being the recipient of a lot of teasing, loved seeing his Nameks flirt. He thought Bulma did too, because she looked smug. They all made their way with the incubator back to what they had designated the “big bedroom,” where anyone could sleep when they felt like sleeping with others. They each had their own bedrooms too, and agreed that while sleeping configurations would just have to be a laissez-faire system, anyone in the big bedroom was signaling they were okay with any or all sleepers joining.

The alacrity with which Bunny and Dr. Briefs had accepted Bulma’s unique arrangement had truly shocked Vegeta. It made him understand how Bulma could be the way she was: so loving, so carefree, so accepting. She had her hand on his lower back and he glanced at her.

Bulma still looked smug. Extremely smug. Narcissistic Saiyan prince levels of smug. He narrowed his eyes and whispered, “Woman…did you…did you plan this? _This_?” He gestured to the four of them.

She blinked and smiled sweetly. “I don’t know what you mean, Vegeta.”

“How the hell could you possibly plan this?”

“Well, it got a little more…numerous…than I planned since Talon came, but after Piccolo seemed…interested…I thought maybe we could all have what we wanted. That there was no reason for anyone to be unhappy.”

Talon glanced at Vegeta over his shoulder and said, “You should watch out for her, Vegeta. Bulma is like a grand master chess player—“

“I _am_ a grand master chess player,” Bulma interrupted.

“Yes, _atheanna_ ,” Talon said with his delicious half-smile, “and thanks to you I know what chess _is._ My point is, that woman is always so many moves ahead of you, there’s no point trying to keep up. She wins. Check mate. Just accept your fate.”

“Check fucking _mates_ , plural, is more like it,” Vegeta growled.

Bulma rolled her eyes and laughed as she said, “Oh gods, two minutes into fatherhood and you’re already making dad jokes.”

“Hey! What about Trunks?”

“What about Trunks, don’t pretend you’ve been a decent father by any metric.”

“Fair point, woman, but I aim to do better now that all my fucking romantic drama seems to be resolved, I hope to be able to…figure out…how to parent.”

Talon snorted, swatted Vegeta’s ass, and said, “Yeah, because I’m sure having three mates won’t have any drama, Vegeta.”

“Oh, quiet, you. It will be smooth-sailing bliss from here on out.”

They got the bassinets set up near the bed, but Vegeta didn’t like the idea of Piccolo being all the way on the opposite side of the bed from him. Piccolo bent and said, “My love, it’s okay.”

“I know _you’ll_ be fine. But…”

“Oh for fuck’s sake, Piccolo, just spoon him and have both babies on that side. Bulma and I are going to pass out instantaneously.”

“You’re in the middle, little Namek, we’ll wedge Vegeta between us, since we’ve both so recently bred with him.”

Both babies immediately began to squall when put down. Vegeta said, not particularly wanting to set them down, but also a little embarrassed to admit it, “Can’t they sleep on our chests?”

Piccolo kissed his cheek and murmured, “Okay, you big squishy Saiyan, tonight, but we’re going to try to put them down tomorrow night.”

“We’ll see,” Vegeta grumbled. Nail curled on Vegeta’s chest, his little bum and tail in Vegeta’s hand. Minutes after settling in the bed, Piccolo was asleep, Dala nestled in the dip between Piccolo’s pecs.

Vegeta breathed deep to smell all his favorite things in one room, the two new, perfect scents of his young making him smile. He wished Trunks were there for that scent too. Part of him had never allowed himself to love and care for Trunks because it felt like a betrayal of Piccolo. Now he could. He could do better. Vegeta thought maybe he could let himself be happy. With Kami gone, he thought maybe he could even cease worrying for a while.

He turned and kissed Piccolo’s shoulder. Piccolo sleepily twisted to bump their foreheads together. Vegeta turned to kiss Talon’s shoulder too, but Talon found Vegeta’s mouth instead. Vegeta could hear Piccolo and Bulma were asleep. Talon’s hand slipped onto Vegeta’s on Nail’s back and laced their fingers together as he kissed Vegeta more deeply.

“I love you, baby, thank you for carrying me through. I’m proud of you. And I’m so glad he’s okay, Vegeta, that his awful tenant is gone,” Talon whispered.

“Are you?” Vegeta breathed.

“Yeah, Vegeta, I am. I want you to be happy, but I also…I love him, too. It surprises me, but I do. And these guys…” Talonleaned and kissed the back of Nail’s head. “These guys are going to own me…I’ll be a terrible father because I’ll just want to give in to their every whim. Look at his little scowl. He looks just like you.”

“That is Piccolo’s scowl, _minaiya._ And you’ll be an amazing father, you’ve dealt with my nonsense and still love me. They’ll be easy by comparison.”

Talon kissed him more and Vegeta fell into it. Vegeta felt so whole, his other hand clutched against Piccolo’s chest. His tail lazily drifted back and forth between his two Nameks, occasionally brushing over Bulma’s bare shoulders, and once Talon ended the kiss, Vegeta fell into the deepest, soundest sleep of his life, surrounded by love and Nameks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading my monstrous trilogy, I hope you enjoyed it! A very special THANK YOU to my regular commenters--you really made it feel important to post here and I so appreciated getting messages from you so I knew I didn't lose you somewhere along the way. You all carried me through a pretty dark first half of 2020. This year is still a shit-show, but I feel fortunate to have this small slice of life that is happy for me, but also where I hope I make a few of you happy too! Thank so, so, so much for reading Love and Nameks! If you didn't read the first story, The Captain and the Soldier--which I get, most people aren't into OCs--Vegeta's choices throughout this story probably seem a little strange. I hope you'll go back and give it a read. If nothing else, I'm pretty proud of some of the smut in that one ;) If you read it already, yay! Thank you for that too!
> 
> I'm on Twitter @dbzkink, I'm also on Discord now dbzkink#0675, (like a person who understands technology xD), feel free to hit me up either place to chat, I've been having fun discussing headcanon, writing, sex, Namekians, all the things, with some other online friends. I also post all my fic updates and art to Twitter.
> 
> My ko-fi is also: ko-fi.com/dbzkink where you can follow me and I'm trying to at least drop a notice when I post new work if not chapter updates, but still a luddite at heart, so I'm figuring it all out.
> 
> If there's interest in an epilogue with the all the babies, I may post it, so please comment if you want more Saimekian babies! Perhaps a little Humekian too :D


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